Pygmalion and the Image series which dates back to 1867–1870, used harsher tones, darker colours and less fluid lines – as may be seen in the Gallery below. This second version, despite being painted in oils, has the sheen and soft tones of chalk. The story tells of Pygmalion, a sculptor of Cyprus, the birthplace of Aphrodite. It was first related in Ovid's "Metamorphoses", although by the time of this series, William Morris had written his own version of the story. Pygmalion is seen here in his studio, pondering his lonely life, having chosen to remain celibate in disgust at what he saw as the
Pygmalion and Galatea (Gérôme painting) Pygmalion and Galatea (Gérôme painting) Pygmalion and Galatea () is an 1890 painting by the French artist Jean-Léon Gérôme. The motif is taken from Ovid's "Metamorphoses", and depicts how the sculptor Pygmalion kisses his ivory statue Galatea, after the goddess Aphrodite has brought her to life. Jean-Léon Gérôme painted "Pygmalion and Galatea" in the summer of 1890. In 1891 he made a marble sculpture of the same subject, possibly based on a plaster version also used as model for the painting. He made several alternative versions of the painting, each presenting the subject from a different angle. The most famous