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Primary sourcePaintingc. 1500-1505

Three Graces

Raphael · c. 1500-1505

An early oil painting by Raphael depicting the three mythological Graces nude, inspired by classical sculpture.

An early work by Raphael showing his first depiction of the nude female form, reflecting his classical studies.

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Painting of three nude female figures standing close together in a landscape with blue sky and hills. The woman at left and the woman at right face forward with their arms around the central figure, who faces away. Each holds a red fruit or ball, and the central figure wears a red beaded necklace. Brown earth and a distant blue horizon fill the background.
Raphael, Three Graces, c. 1500-1505. Musée Condé, Chantilly.

About this source

What it is

This small oil painting by Raphael shows three nude female figures representing the Graces of classical mythology. It was likely painted shortly after Raphael began studying with Pietro Perugino around 1500, and is now held by the Musée Condé in Chantilly, France.

Why it matters

This is thought to be the first time Raphael painted the nude female body from both front and back, showing his early engagement with classical art and sculpture. Scholars have long debated what inspired the composition — a Roman statue, a northern Italian painting tradition, or mythological themes like the story of Hercules and the golden apples — which shows how historians piece together meaning from incomplete evidence.

Look closer

  • Why might an artist practise painting the same body from different angles in one picture?
  • What do the fruits the women hold suggest about the painting's meaning?
  • How might this small early work differ from the grand altarpieces Raphael later painted?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Raphael on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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