Pygmalion and Galatea

This is a piece inspired by Ernest Normand's version from 1886, recreated with some personal additions and changes. This, of course, is a representation of the famous Greek myth of Pygmalion, found in Ovid's Metamorphoses. As the story goes, he was an ancient king or ruler of Cyprus, who gave up on ever finding love and decided to focus on his sculpting. Eventually, he carved out a beautiful sculpture of a woman from ivory, and he fell in love with his own creation. He adored and worshipped her, and gave offerings to the goddess Aphrodite, wishing for a bride in the likeness of his statue. Aphrodite granted his wish and transformed his statue into a living woman who, according to some sources, was named Galatea. Pygmalion married her and had two children, Paphus and Metharme.