The Legend of FirePrint Page

The mural tells the story of "The Legend of Fire " and is dedicated to firemen. The mural, commissioned by the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade, was started in 1980 and completed in 1982.

There is a narrative unfolding in this mural, beginning at the top and going down. It's an epic spanning centuries, so it takes up about four storeys. The Legend of Fire is part romance, fantasy, horror, drama and, according to the huge mosaic, not much comedy. Characters include the wayward Phaeton, who rode his chariot too close to Earth and started a tragic blaze, raising the ire of Zeus, the most powerful god of them all. A carefully placed bolt of lightning, and the reckless driver was toast. Prometheus put his heart before his head and stole fire from mighty Zeus to warm the hearts and minds of cave dwellers. Zeus soothed feelings of disrespect by killing and punishing.

That's where Pandora came in. She created a fair bit of havoc after being sent by Zeus to Earth, succumbing to curiosity and opening that little box of miseries. Her relationship to fire rates a big mention in the glowing scenes. The mural, made up of 250,000 glass tiles, has a religious tone, with Zeus sitting atop scenes of sufferers, heroes and villains. Mosaic is almost indestructible, so if the station burns down there will be a reminder.

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