Relief depicting Hesperides

myminifactory

The relief depicts three nymphs recognized as the Hesperides by their association with the tree bearing fruit. The Hesperides were tasked with guarding the golden apples in Hera's garden on Mount Atlas, gifts bestowed upon her by Mother Earth at the time of her marriage to Zeus. To the left stands a figure created in a distinct style, seemingly added to fill an empty space. This work shares similarities with sculptures discovered off the coast of Piraeus, part of a ship's cargo that sank while transporting art meant for sale during the 1st Century AD.