Work in Progress: Sanzuwu

I recently came across some folktales about three-legged ravens or crows in Asian mythology. In China, he is known as Sanzuwu, and he is responsible for the sun's passage across the sky. The three legs represent the Earth, the Heavens and Humanity. In other Asian countries he goes by a different name, and is a divine messenger. He is also a symbol of power. In Korean mythology, he ranks above the phoenix and the dragon. But the three-legged bird is also a very ancient symbol that can be found in neolithic granges, ancient Scandinavian, Italian, Celtic, Egyptian and African art, as well as in Asia. In East Asian cultures, he is associated with the sun. The shapeshifting Raven is also the one who brings the light to the world in many Native American creation stories (though he is not shown with three legs in those stories). Still, this shows that the raven itself is an archetypal solar symbol.

So my latest artwork is a depiction of Sanzuwu, the Chinese three-legged raven.  Here are some work in progress photos of the artwork, as well as pictures of Magnus, just because.....

Please click on a photograph to enlarge.

Sanzuwu (work in progress)
12 x 12 inches
Mixed media on Aquabord
www.lynnetteshelley.com