Description
This piece is an homage to Sappho, the ancient Greek poet and queer icon. Have
you heard of her?
Sappho was a Greek lyric poet from the island of Lesbos, active during the Archaic period (c. 630–570 BCE). She is one of the most famous poets of antiquity, known for her deeply personal and emotional poetry, often centered on love, desire, and relationships—especially between women.
Her work, written in Aeolic Greek, was highly regarded in antiquity, and she was sometimes called the “Tenth Muse.” Although much of her poetry has been lost, fragments survive, including the well-known Ode to Aphrodite, where she calls upon the goddess of love for help in matters of the heart.
Sappho’s poetry frequently expresses affection for women, which is why her name and her home, Lesbos, are associated with female same-sex love—giving rise to terms like “sapphic” and “lesbian.” While ancient sources debated her sexuality, her poetry speaks for itself in its passionate expressions of love and longing for other women.
Only fragments of her poetry exist today. I.e. Fragment 31 captures the intensity of love, desire, and even jealousy, with vivid physical reactions that still feel relatable today.
Sappho’s poetry has had a profound and lasting influence on
literature, especially in the themes of love, personal emotion, and
lyricism. Here’s how her work shaped later literature:
- Development of Lyric Poetry: Sappho, however, made poetry deeply personal, centering on individual emotions, desires, and relationships.
- The Sapphic Meter: Sappho developed a unique poetic form known as the Sapphic stanza, which consists of three long lines followed by a shorter fourth line.
- Influence on Roman and Renaissance Poets: Roman poet Catullus (1st century BCE) was deeply inspired by Sappho.
During the Renaissance, poets such as Petrarch and Ronsard revived her
themes of intense love and longing, shaping the tradition of love poetry
in Europe. - LGBTQ+ Literary Tradition: Sappho’s open expression of love and desire for women has made her an icon in LGBTQ+ literature. Writers such as Virginia Woolf, H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), and Audre Lorde drew inspiration from her.
- The Idea of Love as Overwhelming:
Sappho’s description of love as something physically overpowering
(blushing, trembling, losing speech) set a template for romantic and
even erotic poetry across centuries.
This sturdy wooden framed poster comes ready to hang and is printed on heavyweight white matte paper with a smooth, luxurious finish — designed to stand the test of time, just like Sappho 😉
- Ready-to-hang: Includes hanging kit, ready to hang directly on the wall.
- Frame Material: Durable pine wood. Choose between different colours.
- Frame Measurements: 20-25mm (0.79″-0.98″) thick, 10-14mm (0.4″-0.6″) wide.
- Paper Weight: 200 gsm (80 lb), thickness: 0.22 mm (8.7 mils).
- Paper Finishing: Matte, smooth, non-reflective surface.
- Protection: Shatterproof plexiglass protects the poster.
- Sustainable Paper: FSC-certified materials or equivalent.
- Available Sizes: Two sizes in inches (US&CA) and cms (rest of the world).
