File:Hesiod bb456 1 36 com 100bw.jpg

John Flaxman, Compositions From the Works Days and Theogony of Hesiod, copy 1, object 36 (Bentley 456.36) "Furies Cerberus Pluto Rroserpine Harpies Death" Description from the source listed below.

Sector E plate Illustration:

Pluto (Hades to the Greeks), god of the underworld, and his consort Proserpine sit facing forward on a throne at the center of the design, surrounded by attendants. Pluto's right arm is extended down by his side, resting against the staff, scepter, or rod that is propped against his right shoulder. Proserpine, wearing a gown and wrapped in a cloak, sits to his right, facing forward but turning her head to the left. The upper bodies of three Furies (Erinyes to the Greeks) appear in the upper left corner. Two of them hold snakes with open mouths. Three winged and taloned Harpies appear in the upper right corner, facing right. Death steps or crouches over three human figures huddled in the lower right corner. His right leg is bent and drawn forward, and he leans forward sharply, his torso tilted to the right. His wings are drawn up behind him on either side of his head. The three humans lie or kneel in positions of distress beneath him. Cerberus' three lion heads appear to the left of Pluto's throne, facing left and forward. Each has an open mouth with visible teeth, biting the head, arm, or torso of a nearby human. These three humans huddle or lie in distressed positions near the lower left corner.

Component (Sector E)

Keywords: male, Pluto, arm at side, arm down, arm extended, arm resting, facing forward, facing left, feet, hand resting, holding, legs bent, leg bent at knee, sitting, beard, long hair, curly hair, cloak, cloth, sandal, tunic, hem, staff, rod, scepter Pluto (Hades to the Greeks), god of the underworld, sits on his throne facing forward near the center of the design. His legs are bent and his feet rest flat on a step beneath his seat. His right arm is extended down by his side, resting against the staff, scepter, or rod that is propped against his right shoulder. His right hand holds this staff. His left hand is visible above his left shoulder, resting against Proserpine's right shoulder. He turns his head slightly to the left. He has a beard and long curly hair. He wears a tunic with a decorative hem; a cloak or other cloth drapes over his lap and his feet, visible beneath the decorative hem, are clad in sandals.

Component (Sector E)

Keywords: female, Proserpine, arm at side, arm bent, arm down, arm on lap, arm resting, facing forward, facing left, leg bent at knee, legs bent, sitting, right foot, hair, cloak, lap, gown, hem, sandal Proserpine sits on the throne to the right of Pluto near the center of the design. She faces forward but turns her head to look left. Her legs are bent and her one visible foot (the right, clad in a sandal) rests on a footstool or step above the one on which Pluto's feet rest. Her hair is drawn back and covered with a scarf or cloak that covers her head and wraps around her neck. She wears a long gown and a cloak with a decorative hem that covers her upper body entirely, draping her torso and falling in folds towards the floor on the right. The shape of this cloak indicates that her right arm is bent and lying across her lap.

Component (Sector E)

Keywords: throne, couch, step, plinth, stool Proserpine and Pluto sit side-by-side on a throne with decorative arms. The throne accommodates both figures, and thus resembles a bench or couch. The throne is raised on a plinth; below Proserpine's feet is another plinth, step, or footstool.

Component (Sector A)

Keywords: female, Fury, hovering, arm bent, arm bent upward, arm raised, arm raised horizontally, facing left, facing forward, facing right, hand, holding, handle, hammer, ax, mouth open, long hair, short hair, hair standing on end, band, snake, serpent, tongue, cloak, gown, shirt The upper bodies of three Furies (Erinyes to the Greeks) appear (possibly hovering) in the upper left corner. The leftmost Fury faces left, wrapped entirely in a cloak. One hand is visible above the cloak, holding a snake with an open mouth. She has long hair, and may be wearing a head band. The middle Fury faces forward, her torso twisted slightly to the left and her head turned slightly to the right. Her right arm is raised horizontally, her forearm bent upward and her hand holding the handle of what might be a hammer an ax (note the shape of the head of this tool to the right of this Fury's head). Her short hair flies around her head as if standing on end. She is wearing a short garment that flutters around her torso. The rightmost Fury faces forward, her torso twisted slightly left and her head turned slightly right. She holds both of her hands in fists up at chest level, each grasping the body of a snake that wraps around her wrists. Both snakes have their mouths open and forked tongues extended. She is wearing a gown or other garment that falls in folds over her torso; the curving lines above and to the right of her left shoulder may be part of her flowing gown. She has short hair standing on end. All three Furies hold their mouths open.

Component (Sector B)

Keywords: female, Harpy, arm at side, facing forward, facing right, facing left, flying, hovering, breasts, mouth open, short hair, wing, feather, talon, claw Three Harpies hover or fly near the upper right corner of the design. The body of the rightmost Harpy faces right, but she tilts her head back and turns it to look forward and to the left. Her short hair flies around her head and her feathered wings are raised on each side of her body. One claw with two talons appears below her to the left; it may belong to her or to the Harpy to the left. One of her breasts is visible. The middle Harpy faces left, her head bent back slightly and her short hair blown back. One feathered wing is drawn up behind her to the left. The leftmost Harpy faces left also, with one feathered wing drawn up behind her to the left, and the other drawn up before her to the right. Her visible right arm is feathered and at her side, her right taloned claw down. The other taloned claw is held up in front of her chest. She has short hair. All three Harpies have their mouths open.

Component (Sector BD)

Keywords: male, Death, young, muscular, fighting, arm bent, arms bent, arm drawn back, arm down, arm extended, arm raised, arm reaching downward, bending forward, facing forward, facing right, hand on face, hand beside head, head bent back, holding, knee, leaning, leg bent at knee, leg drawn up, right foot, crouching, nude, short hair, wing, shadow Death, surprisingly young and muscular, steps or crouches over three human figures near the lower right corner. His right leg is bent and drawn forward, his right foot resting on the head of one of the humans. He leans forward sharply, his torso tilted slightly to the right. His right arm is bent and drawn back, his hand grasping the chin and throat of another human. His slightly bent left arm is extended down to the right, his left hand resting on the head of the third human. His head is turned to the right and bent back, so that he looks down and to the right. His short hair is blown back. His large wings are drawn up behind him on either side of his head. He is nude, and he and the humans below him cast shadows that extend to the right.

Component (Sector D)

Keywords: male, female, arm bent, arm drawn back, arm raised, arm raised horizontally, arm resting, arm wrapped around head, arms bent, bending forward, facing down, facing right, facing up, fist, hand beside head, hand on ground, hand resting, hand beside head, hand on ankle, hands on ground, hands resting, head down, head on arm, head toward viewer, holding, huddled, hunched over, knees, leaning, left foot, leg bent at knee, leg drawn up, legs bent, nude, genitals, shirt, gown, short hair, bun, shadow Three humans huddle in the lower right corner beneath Death. The rightmost human is on his knees, left leg drawn up beneath his body and left foot on tiptoe. He bends forward and rests his head on the floor, his face hidden. His right arm is raised horizontally with the elbow out toward the viewer and right hand resting in a fist on the floor. His left hand, also in a fist, is visible on the floor to the left of his right hand. He is nude with visible genitals (minimally depicted) and has short hair. The head and bare arms of a second human appear to the left of the one on his knees. The head, with short hair, is towards the viewer, face down and hidden. His bent left arm is wrapped around his head, supporting it. His right arm is bent and raised horizontally, with his right hand in a fist resting on the floor. The head and arms of the third human appear to the left of Death's leg. The head is bent back so that the face looks forward and up. Short hair that seems to be drawn back (into a bun?) suggests that this is a female. Lines at her throat and shoulder suggest that she is wearing a sleeveless shirt or gown. Her bent right arm is down and drawn back, and her right hand holds Death's ankle. Death grasps her chin and throat. The grouping casts shadows that extend to the right.

Component (Sector C)

Keywords: lion, Cerberus, facing left, facing forward, mouth open, teeth, mane Cerberus' three lion heads appear to the left of Plato's throne, facing left and forward. The leftmost head is the highest, facing left. Its mouth is open with one visible tooth and it grasps the head of a human to the left. The middle head also faces left with mouth open and tooth showing, biting the arm and elbow of another human. The third head faces forward, mouth open to bite the torso of a third human. Teeth appear in this head's mouth as well. All three heads have thick manes.

Component (Sector C)

Keywords: male, nude, arm bent, arm bent upward, arm drawn back, arm extended, arm raised, arm raised horizontally, facing away, facing left, facing up, facing right, fist, hand, hand resting, head bent back, kneeling, knee, knees, leaning, leg bent at knee, leg drawn up, leg extended backward, legs bent, lying, lying on side, mouth open, supine, head toward viewer, upside down, tiptoe, left foot, right foot, nude, genitals, short hair, long hair, buttocks