' The Three Graces' Lucas Cranach ( German 1472-1553) Oil on wooden panel , circa 1531 . The Louvre . Paris .

..The Three Graces is a theme that dates back to antiquity . It has spun off into a number of mythological variants, but they often personify mirth , abundance and splendour . Cranach worked on every detail in this painting with exquisite finesse : the eyes , the elegant noses , the position of the chignons , the pinkish cheeks and the delicate work on the hands . Each of the Graces has it's own distinctive movement , which affords each of them their own independence and sensuality . Their postures radiate extraordinary freedom , and are eminently modern : the one on the left is turning her back and clutching her thigh ; the one on the right is facing sideways , standing on her right leg and holding her left ankle with her left hand ; the third is the only one facing us , and wears an elegant hat . An extraordinary ethereal and transparent haze intensifies the seductive aura and underlines the three young women's nudity . Cranach's flair in creating a scene that is at once lively and harmonious is one of the reasons this painting is considered one of his masterpieces .