Elli Maanpää: The Three Graces, acrylic on canvas, 150 cm x 288 cm, 2025.
THE THREE GRACES
Acrylic on canvas || 150 cm x 288 cm || 2025
For exhibition or collection inquiries, email elli@maanpaa.com.
The Three Graces is a timeless motif in art history, symbolizing grace, beauty, and charm. Originating from Greek mythology, the Three Graces—Aglaia (Brightness), Euphrosyne (Joyfulness), and Thalia (Bloom)—were revered as goddesses who bestowed these qualities upon the world. Throughout the centuries, artists have explored this theme in various styles and mediums.
In this contemporary interpretation, I reimagine the classic subject with a modern twist. The painting depicts three ethereal female figures, seemingly airborne, engaged in a harmonious dance. Their interlinked hands symbolize unity while their flowing dresses dissolve into abstract floral forms, creating a dynamic interplay between movement and color. This abstraction infuses the piece with organic energy.
A notable departure from historical depictions is that my Graces are not nude. Instead, they are adorned in expressive garments and crowned, emphasizing the role of clothing as an extension of identity. However, rather than anchoring them in a specific time period, I allow their attire to transcend history. Another distinction is their upward motion—unlike the traditional circular formation, my Graces ascend. The two figures below have their eyes closed, fully immersed in the present, while the leading Grace gazes skyward, embodying limitless possibility.
The painting is currently on unstretched canvas, awaiting the right moment and setting to be stretched. Once stretched, transport becomes more challenging, so I have chosen to keep it flexible until it finds its home—whether in an exhibition or a collection. If acquired internationally, the piece can be shipped rolled, allowing the collector to have it stretched and framed to best suit its final space.
The Three Graces displayed in a gallery setting, showcasing its impressive scale and dynamic energy.
Close-up details of The Three Graces.
The leading Grace reaches upward, her gaze set on infinite possibilities. The delicate touch of hands symbolizes connection.
The Three Graces in the artist’s Helsinki atelier. Elli Maanpää with her large-scale painting.