Spanish school; XVIII century. "Flora". Oil on canvas. Relined.

Spanish school; XVIII century. "Flora". Oil on canvas. Relined.

Spanish school; XVIII century.
"Flora".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It has slight repainting and restorations.
Size: 79 x 104 cm; 90 x 115 cm (frame).
Oil on canvas, in which the author has represented a woman arranged in the center of the composition, accompanied by two little love birds. One of them holds a torch, while the other carries a tray full of flowers on his head. The three characters are placed in the foreground, on a background that represents the sky. The woman, the undisputed protagonist of the work, is dressed in ample clothing, although part of her leg is visible. She stands out, however, for the crown of roses and for the flowers she holds in both hands, an attribute that may indicate that it is the representation of the goddess Flora.
Flora is the Roman goddess of flowers and the spring season, a symbol of nature and flowers, especially the flower of May. Although otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with spring gave her particular importance to the coming of spring, as did her role as goddess of youth. She was one of fifteen deities who had their own flamen (Roman priest), the Floralis, one of the flamines minores. Her Greek counterpart is Chloris.