This painting is a scene from the mythology of ancient Greece and Rome.
Mythology is a collection of stories about gods, heroes and traditions specific to nations or cultures.
The 3 Graces are 3 goddesses who were daughters of Zeus,vthe most important Greek god.
Their names were Aglaea, Euphrosyne, and Thalia.
They served Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
The 3 Graces represent various ideas like kindness, sympathy, and delicacy.
They were also associated with love, beauty, or sexuality.
Rubens depicted the 3 Graces in a circular position as they embraced each other.
The position of their feet indicated that they were dancing slowly.
The bodies of the women had numerous curves, and their skin was rosy, which was considered the standard of beauty for women during that period.
In the painting, various figures represent love, such as the 2 deer in the background on the left, the garland of roses above the 3 Graces, and the fountain with the figure of the god Cupid on the right.
Cupid embraces the water mouth of the fountain, shaped like a horn.
This horn is called a cornucopia and symbolises abundance and wealth.
The woman on the left is Helena Fourment, the second wife of Rubens.
When they married, Rubens was over 50 years old, and she was 16 years old.
Experts believe that Rubens reflects in the painting the feelings of love, happiness, and pleasure he experienced after his second marriage.
They also think that Rubens painted this artwork for his personal collection and not as a commission from a client.
