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Cadmus and Harmonia (1877)

Cadmus was an ancient Greek hero who founded the city of Thebes and married the beautiful Harmonia, daughter of Venus, goddess of love, and Mars god of war. However, their life was dogged by misfortune because early in his adventures Cadmus had killed a sacred snake.

One day while he and Harmonia are together, the gods finally take revenge and transform Cadmus into a snake. The painting vividly illustrates Cadmus’s desperate attempt to embrace his beloved wife in his new form, and her bewilderment and distress. Then she too is transformed into a snake and they crawl away to continue their life together.

Evelyn de Morgan would have known this story from the tales of the ancient gods and heroes recounted by the Roman poet Ovid in his famous book Metamorphoses.

When exhibited in 1877 this painting was accompanied by the following lines from Metamorphoses:

With lambent tongue he kissed her patient face,
Crept in her bosom as his dwelling place.
Entwined her neck, and shared the loved embrace.

oil on canvas, 40.25 x 17.75 inches

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