Fitzwilliam work list 1877 Finished Hesperides watercolour --- Graham Bell is confused over identification and exhibition history De Lisle confused over identification The subject has its's origin in William Morris' The Earthly Paradise story The Golden Apples December tale. The two paintings' are fundamentally the same but in the second the Renaissance landscape has been rejected in favour of a walled rose bower. Burne-Jones has significantly developed the painting by altering the position of draperies and introducing the central maiden's naked foot. Maria Zambaco is no-longer the model for the central and right hand maidens, one of which has become a Botticellian type, possibly an indication of a cooling the their relationship. Other aspects of the painting notably reflect Botticelli's Primavera (Uffizi, Italy) and The Mystic Nativity at that date in the Fuller Maitland collection lager purchased by The National Gallery (London) in 1878. The Garden of the Hesperides is described in the section of William Morris's Earthly Paradise "The Golden Apples" About the tree, new risen e'en now to meet The shining presence of that mighty one Three damsels stood, naked from head to feet Save for the glory of their hair, where sun And shadow flickered, while the wind did run Through the grey leaves o'erhead, and shook the grass Where nigh their feet the wandering bee did pass But 'midst their delicate limbs and all around The tree roots, gleaming blue black could they see The spires of a great serpent, that, enwound About the smooth bole, looked forth threateningly, With glittering eyes and raised crest o'er the three Fair heads fresh crowned, and hissed above the speech Where with they murmured softly each to each.