Celebrations

Deane made a calendar sometime around 1978. Most of the pictures described how the month acquired its name or the god it was named after. The calendar was made as a Christmas gift for Deane’s parents and possibly for Louise’s parents. Deane pasted school pictures on the dates of each child’s birthday.

January – Janus, an ancient Roman god of doorways, of beginnings, and of the rising and setting of the sun, usually represented as having one head with two bearded faces back to back, looking in opposite directions – one looking to the future, the other to the past. The ship might represent the arrival of Saturn to the city Janus founded, Janiculum.

February – Februalia is an Roman ancient festival in which fire is used for purification. This month moves from winter to spring. The couple may be attributed to Juno, goddess of marriage and love.

March – Martius, a Roman god, is attributed to military campaigning. Deane is also combining western images…flying kites on a windy day.

April – Romulus is plowing the boundary of Rome. Rome is said to be founded April 21. The wolf image in the trees represent Romulus and Remus suckled by a wolf.

May – Maia is the oldest of seven Pleiades. To the Romans, Maia was the incarnation of the earth mother and goddess of spring. An image of Mercury is on her forward. He is the son of Maia.

June – Juno is often shown as warlike with a goat-skin cloak, wearing a diadem, and carrying a spear. She is thought to be connected to love and marriage.

July – Julius Caesar was born in Quintilis, the 5th month. He was a Roman general and statesman. When he changed the calendar he adopted his own name as the seventh month.

August – Augustus was the first Roman emperor following the death of Julius Caesar who adopted him. He is holding a map of his empire. The sphinx figure, which is a symbol of secrecy, was the image on his signet ring.

September – The blonde woman is Ceres/Demeter. The myth is that we have the seasons because she grieves when her daughter is in the underworld. Her grief brings on fall/winter. The brunette is possibly Prosperine/Persephone. She is crying because she has to go back to to the underworld.