Portrait of Three Children as Ceres Ganymede and Diana, Nicolaes Maes
Maes painted several group portraits of children and families, often—as seen here—depicting his sitters as mythological figures. The youngest child is Ceres, daughter of Saturn and Ops and the goddess of grain and motherly love. Ceres is shown clutching the leg of Ganymede, a handsome Trojan prince who was carried to Mt. Olympus by Zeus in the form of an eagle. To the right stands Diana, goddess of the moon and the hunt, accompanied by her hunting dog and attributes: a bow, a quiver, and arrows.
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