S14 Ep5: Mermaids in Art!

The Midnight Library

Scott Philbrook

Society & Culture

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 31 May 2026

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We have for you this evening a deluge of divine underwater divas! Mermaids are some of folklore and fantasy's most magical creatures, and for centuries, artists have been obsessed with bringing them to life on canvas. Our three, briny, beautiful paintings are: Ulysses and the Sirens, by Herbert James Draper. Sadko in the Underwater Kingdom, by Ilya Repin. And Contemplation or Promise, by Victor Nizovtsev. Don't forget your snorkel!

Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earful Music Supply for the amazing music AND sound design.a

Transcript

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0:00.0	Astonishing Legends Network.
0:06.8	The following is intended for bizarre audiences only.
0:12.7	Welcome to the Midnight Library. First, a message from the disembodied spirit of our delightful sound man, Chris, who not only works for the Midnight Library, he's also written a book.
0:56.2	Hi there, I'm Christopher, and when I'm not adding stomach-turning sound effects to the
1:01.2	Middite Library, I write books to line its ornate shelves.
1:06.4	My debut novel called Nothing Works, Everything Happensens is a collection of science fiction short
1:10.8	stories in which I try to understand why modern life feels so overwhelming, absurd, lonely,
1:18.2	and sometimes if you look hard enough, still worth the trouble.
1:22.7	If you like thoughtful stories with a little existential dread humming in the background,
1:27.4	you can find out more at ayasaya.com.
1:31.1	That's A-I-Y-A-S-A-Y-A-A-A-A-A-O-com.
1:38.8	Back to the podcast. I see tonight's I see tonight's reading is to be on mermaids, madam.
1:57.6	That's right.
1:59.3	Mermaids in art.
2:01.7	Just regular, nice, pretty mermaids.
2:06.9	I'm afraid so, darling.
2:10.1	We can't be spooky, creepy, sinister and evil all the time.
2:15.3	The state of the world is pitiful, isn't it, madam?
2:20.1	Ugh, it certainly is, Mr. Darling.
2:37.0	Greetings. Greetings. Oh, how wonderful to see you.
2:41.0	Oh, please do file past handsome Mr. Darling at the door of the reading room there.
2:49.0	Well, go on.
	...

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