Flora - Philadelphia, PA - Epic Beings and Creatures on Waymarking.com

The first Sunday of every month is pay what you want day at our museum of art. We usually take advantage of that and donate $5 and then engage in all the activities they have planned for children that day. You can come in for free if you so choose. We had never used the western entrance before and was pleasantly surprised to notice the gigantic relief hanging on the far left wall, on the second level. One can appreciate this fine work of art before even really coming inside or going through the visitor entrance to receive the guest badges. Once inside and for a better look climb the stairs and walk to the gift shop area, and you can get up close and personal with this giant, horizontal marvel.

In Roman mythology, Flora was a goddess of flowers and the season of spring. While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime. Her festival, the Floralia, was held between April 28 and May 3 and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life, drinking, and flowers. The festival was first instituted in 240 B.C.E but on the advice of the Sibylline books she was given another temple in 238 B.C.E. Her Greek equivalent was Chloris, who was a nymph and not a goddess at all. Flora was married to Favonius, the wind god, and her companion was Hercules. Her name is derived from the Latin word "flos" which means "flower." In modern English, "Flora" also means the plants of a particular region or period. SOURCE

A informational placard to the right of the relief answers all questions and concerns:

The Triumph of Flora
1785-88
Plaster

Joseph Deschamps
French
Born 1743, died 1788

This bas-relief and another entitled The Race
between Atalanta and Hippomenes (seen on the
opposite balcony) are plaster models for a pair
on monumental marbles commissioned for Queen
Marie Antoinette of France (ruled 1755-93). They
were completed and installed in the Château of
Saint-Cloud near Paris, decorating the great stair
hall that led to the queen's state apartments. The
stone reliefs were damaged when the château was
destroyed in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War;
however, these plaster models were apparently
preserved in an outbuilding.

This panel shows Flora, the Roman goddess of
Spring, processing in triumph on a chariot
pulled by putti (winged, angelic children) and
surrounded by attendants bearing flowers.

Gift of the Commissioners of Fairmount Park, F1928-2-1