Cadmus and Harmonia

After Cadmus is changed into a serpent by Mars, his wife Harmonia begs for a similar fate, which is granted. Here we see Harmonia in the embrace of her transfigured husband. However, De Morgan deviates from Metamorphoses by depicting Harmonia as a statuesque young maiden and not the elderly woman of the original tale. The work was painted in 1877, shortly after De Morgan had returned from a trip to Italy. When it was exhibited for the first time it was accompanied by the following lines from Ovid’s 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.