Parian ~ Niobe and Daughter

England
Circa 1860

In Greek mythology, Niobe was the daughter of Tantalus and the wife of King Amphion of Thebes. She was the prototype of the bereaved mother, weeping for the loss of her children. According to Homer’s Iliad, she had six sons and six daughters and boasted of her progenitive superiority to the Titan Leto, who had only two children, the twin deities Apollo and Artemis. As punishment for her pride, Apollo killed all Niobe’s sons and Artemis killed all her daughters. The story of Niobe illustrates the favorite Greek theme that the gods are quick to take vengeance on human pride and arrogance.

Porcelain
Height: 20 ½”
P1021