Who is the Greek god of art, design and creativity?

The Greeks were highly skilled artists who used various art forms to honor the gods of Olympus. They built gigantic sculptures, beautiful statues and ornaments made of precious metals to woo the high and powerful.

The story portrays Greek gods as aesthetically perfect beings, worthy of the highest form of worship and courtesy.

But what if we introduced you to a unique chapter of Greek mythology? The one in which the god of design and creativity is himself thrown off his throne for allegedly physically displeasing him!

A shocking irony or an intended satire?

Read along as we introduce you to the god who embodies art.

Who is the Greek god of art?

Greek mythology regards Hephaestus as the god of art.

He was born with congenital disabilities and grew up physically lame. Zeus once banished him to live among mortals because he was too ugly to have the status of a Greek god from heaven.

Adept at forging and designing, Hephaestus worked as a blacksmith for the other gods. All of Athens, the manufacturing capital of Greece, worshiped him. He designed weapons for Mount Olympus and was also a patron of the arts.

Thinking that he wouldn’t hate the gods for discriminating against him, we convincingly call him a man of patience.

While Hephaestus lacked visual appeal, his abilities earned him many names. He has been called the god of blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen and craftsmen.

How was Hephaestus born?

Photo credit: Grungy

Hephaestus lived a complicated life, and the series of events leading up to his birth was no exception. Hera consumed a magical herb to impregnate herself without the help of her husband Zeus when she found out he was impregnating Metis, the goddess of wisdom and prudence, with Athena.

As a result of revenge and jealousy, Hephaestus was born. In a way he served the purpose of his birth as Zeus could never consider him his son and was ashamed to be associated with a totally disfigured god.

Even the Greek gods couldn’t escape their karma!

Fall from Olympus

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

When Hera gave birth to Hephaestus, she was so disgusted with his crippled foot that she ended up throwing him down from heaven hoping he would die.

He fell for several days until he landed in the ocean, where Thetis, the mother of Achilles, and the oceanid Eurynome rescued him. Luckily the fall didn’t kill him, but it crippled him even more.

As a result, Hephaestus became spiteful towards his mother.

He was then taken to the island of Lemnos and educated there. The Sintians, an ancient tribe native to Lemnos, also taught Hephaestus to be a master craftsman.

Ascent to Olympus

Photo credit: Shazam

Hephaestus was one of the few gods who were recalled after their banishment to Olympus.
But is an immortal Greek family immune to drama? Not at all.

To avenge his mother for rejecting him, Hephaestus built a magic golden throne with chains and gave it to her. When Hera sat on it, she could not get up. As a result, the other gods came down from heaven to convince him to return to Olympus and set them free.

But Hephaestus even denied having a mother.

However, Dionysus, the Greek god of winemaking and fertility, intoxicated him with wine and took him to heaven.

Various epithets of Hephaestus

Photo credit: Greek Legends and Myths

Hephaestus had a wide range of epithets, also known as aliases:

He was associated with “Amphigyeis”, which translates to “lame” or “lame on both sides”. His Greek nickname was “Khalkeus”, which meant blacksmith. He was arguably the best blacksmith Greece had ever seen, and that’s probably why he earned the title of god of design. He was nicknamed “Polymetis”, which in many ways meant clever. Hence, he was known as the god of creativity. Another nickname of Hephaestus was Aitnaios, meaning Etnaean, due to his workshop at the foot of Mount Etna.

Attributes of Hephaestus

Image credit: Source for Mythology

Because of his lameness, Hephaestus was one of the least graceful creatures in ancient Greece. He was bearded and wore a short sleeveless tunic with a round cap on his dirty hair.

To be fair, he worked in the forge all day, breathing in the toxic fumes and touching toxic metals, which only worsened his condition.

But if you think he was terrifying, you’re wrong.

He was a kind, peace-loving man and patron of the arts. Better still, he spent a significant portion of his time passing on his knowledge of peace and art to mortals. Ironically, however, he was also an experienced weapons maker from Olympus.

The Creations of Hephaestus

Photo credit: Greek Legends and Myths

Hephaestus, with the help of his workers, Cyclopes, made various objects for the gods and mortals. Below is a list of some of his creations:

He built palaces and thrones for gods in heaven. At Zeus’ command, he created the first clay woman, Pandora, and her box. He made a chariot drawn by four fire-breathing horses for Helios, the sun god. Helios used it to carry the sun across the sky every day. Hephaestus also made the diamond chains that imprisoned the titan Prometheus, god of fire, on a mountain. Along with the Cyclops, Brontes, Steropes, and Arges, the sons of Uranus and Gaea, Hephaestus made the lightning bolts that Zeus wields. He also made the golden arrows for Apollo, god of light, and Artemis, goddess of wild animals. Best of all, Apollo used it to save his mother Leto from the python. He is also responsible for the creation of Zeus’ legendary shield, Aegis. It was studded with the head of a gorgon and roared during combat. He lent it to Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war. The armor of Heracles, son of Zeus and Alcmene, and Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior, were built by Hephaestus. He constructed the arrows of Eros, the god of passionate love and desire. One could make someone fall madly in love while the other could make them run away. Upon hearing of the engagement of his wife Aphrodite and Ares’ daughter Harmonia, he gave her the handmade necklace of Eriphyle as a gift. Hephaestus wanted to bring great misfortune on them. The golden and silver lions and dogs at the entrance of the Alkinoos Palace, which had the power to bite intruders, were built by him.

Because of these inventions, Hephaestus received the title of the Greek god of art.

The wife of Hephaestus

Photo credit: Circe Institute

Hephaestus married Aphrodite, the goddess of sexual love and beauty, by order of Zeus because he wanted other gods to stop fighting over her.

As it turns out, Aphrodite’s desires outweighed her marriage.

Helios, the all-seeing god, informed Hephaestus of Aphrodite’s affair with Ares, the god of war. With a plan to catch her in the act, he created an invisible and unbreakable link and trapped her in it while they lay in bed together.

For the next part of his vengeance, he dragged her before the gods.

Mocked by the scene created, Poseidon, god of the sea, persuaded Hephaestus to free her in exchange for a promise that Ares would pay the adulterer’s penalty. He also demanded that Zeus repay the price he paid in marrying Aphrodite. But Zeus refused to return the dowry.

After all, she just magically pulled herself back into her husband’s life.

While embarrassing, this is just a glimpse into Aphrodite’s character.

Bonus Reading: Delve into the history of the goddess of fertility.

Athena and other lovers

Photo credit: The Demonic Paradise Wiki

Athena, the goddess of art and methodology, and Hephaestus were considered soul mates. Her love of art and desire to help mortals were enough to attract him.

But Athena was not for the union.

In a moment of weakness, Hephaestus tried to rape her. But before he could climax, she pushed him away. Eventually, Hephaestus ejaculated and his semen fell to the ground. As a result, Gaia, the goddess of the earth, became pregnant and gave birth to Erichthonius, whom Athena later adopted.

While growing up on the island of Lemnos, he fathered two metalworking gods named Cabeiri with a sea nymph, Cabeiro. Rumor has it that Hephaestus gave birth to two Sicilian gods, Etna, a Sicilian virgin, Geysers and Palici.

For an unattractive immortal, he socialized more than one might expect.

5 symbols of the Greek god of art and design

Photo Credit: All About Mythology

Here are some common symbols associated with Hephaestus:

#1. hammer

A hammer represents Hephaestus’s mastery of craftsmanship and his passion for crafting.
The hammer he carried was not made for battle and was used to build Pandora’s Box and Pandora herself. Zeus eventually destroyed it.

#2. anvil

An anvil is the symbol of Hephaestus’ hard work and passion.

Legend has it that Hephaestus’ anvil contained a never-ending supply of energy. The metals formed on it required no heat to forge. Also, the fires caused by the sparks coming from his anvil burned indefinitely.

In Greek paintings he is sometimes shown bent over his anvil, busy beating a piece of metal into shape.

#3. chariot

Hephaestus built himself a mobile chariot, which he used to move ahead of the other gods. He ended up making twenty such tripods with bronze wheels for easy movement.

The chariot symbolized his willpower and self-respect. That meant he didn’t let his physical disability get the better of him. On the contrary, his determination made him equal to the other gods.

#4. mule

Mule is the animal with which Hephaestus is most associated. It represents his submissive nature.

When he refuses to return to Olympus to free his mother Hera from the cage, Dionysus intoxicates him and carries him to Olympus on the back of a mule, which…