The Three Goddesses Of Meihui

The Three Graces are the long-lasting motif in western art history.In the Ancient Greek times,artists portrayed them only for the visualization of myth and legend or for the aesthetic purpose.However,from ancient Roman times,various moral or theological meanings are attached to this group,and the diversfication of these theories reached peak in 15 th century’s Renaissance.The Three Graces appeared in scholars’ papers with many different types of triad,which symbolized three elements or stages in certain theoretical system.Since 20 th century,scholars of art history explored these modes of symbolizations and the undelying significance from different perspectives.This thesis is aimed to find the essential clue in the development process and explain the attractivesness of the motif,based on the research of representative art works and documents in Ancient Rome times,Middle Ages and Renaissance Period.First of all,this thesis traces the literature works about The Three Graces in Ancient Greek times and analyzes the changed rules of representation in Roman times.Then,by exploring Seneca’s books,it discourses Stoic scholars’ moral explanations of Graces.After that,this thesis showed the track of how the classical theories and figures remained in Middle Ages and Renaissance times.Then,the thesis is focusing on Neoplatonism’s philosophy,especially the combination of its love theory and the implication of The Three Graces,trying to outline the flourishing development of academic ideas and communications in this period.Finally,it explores the famous mystery in Renaissance art history,which is the meaning of Graces in Botticelli’s Primavera.With the works of several great scholars from Warburg Institute,the thesis displays how their opinions been discussed,evolved,or even overturned on this classical Iconology topic.