Sappho and Erinna in a Garden at Mytilene
Item
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Title
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Sappho and Erinna in a Garden at Mytilene
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Rights
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Tate Britain, London, UK. CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED.
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Creator
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Simeon Solomon (1840-1905)
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Date
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1864
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Description
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A watercolor scene of Sappho (on the right) embracing Erinna (on the left) seated upon a bench in a garden scene. Sappho is depicted with brunette hair, loosely pulled back and decorated with a laurel on her crown; she is adorned in a creamy golden robe. She turns in her seat upon a bench toward Erinna, embracing her with both arms and her face nudged close to hers with closed eyes. Two doves are seated above the pair on a perch, appearing to 'kiss' their beaks. A young deer stands stop the armrest of the bench on the left side (to Erinna's right). A lyre rests against the base of a statue of a woman beside Sappho's feet on the right (her left). The statue faces both women, her face turned as though she is watching them.
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Format
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Painting. Watercolor on paper. 13 × 15 in.
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Publisher
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Tate Britain.
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Contributor
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Shenai Beyale
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Identifier
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Tate Britain. T03063.
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Subject
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Sappho; Erinna; sapphic; lesbian; romance; painting; art; Mytilene; garden; scene
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Source
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Jpg file. Tate Britain. 10/27/2025. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/solomon-sappho-and-erinna-in-a-garden-at-mytilene-t03063
