The Three Graces is Antonio Canova’s neoclassical sculpture depicting three female figures embracing in a triangular composition.
Canova created the marble group between 1815 and 1817, drawing on the ancient mythological figures known as the Graces: Aglaea, Euphrosyne, and Thalia. In Greek and Roman tradition, they represent beauty, charm, and creativity, and are associated with the goddess Aphrodite or Venus.
The figures stand close together with linked arms and a shared drapery, creating a carefully balanced composition. Canova’s smooth marble surfaces and restrained gestures express the ideals of Neoclassicism while also emphasizing sensual beauty.
Two principal versions survive, one associated with the Duke of Bedford and the other with the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The sculpture is distinct from Raphael’s famous painting of the same mythological trio and from other later interpretations.