The Mantis

My new sculpture MANTIS is inspired to the elegant insect but also to the elegance of the female body and to the mistery of women: it is not a case that the word "mantis" derives from ancient Greek with the meaning of "seer, prophet".

Rabarama, "Mantis".
Painted bronze, 2013

In ancient China the Mantis was a symbol of courage and she has inspired so many artists in various fields (from Escher to Aldous Huxley), as you can see in the following images.

Besides that the Mantis has been the model for some martial arts, the 'Northern Praying Mantis' and 'Southern Praying Mantis'.

My interpreatation is that of a human body with "strange" proportions and an overall "mantis-like" feeling.
You can find the artwork here:  http://www.rabarama.info/#!sculpture-mantis/c7hz

Here a selection of artworks inspired by the Mantis:

Escher, the dream

Japanese print, 1800

Illustration by Rodney Matthews

Japanese "netsuke", ivory carving

Mantis at the Burning Man