Gerda Wegener - The Three Graces Under a Full Moon

• Title: The Three Graces Under a Full Moon (De tre gratier i måneskin)
• Artist: Gerda Wegener (1886-1940)
• Date: 1920
• Medium: Watercolor and pencil
• Dimensions: 32 x 22 cm
• Location: Private collection, unknown location
• Photo credit: Bruun Rasmussen auctioneers

Gerda Wegener’s painting “TThe Three Graces under a Full Moon” is an interpretation of the classical mythological theme, depicting the three goddesses associated with beauty, charm, and creativity. Wegener’s style is characterized by the use of clean lines, vibrant colors, and intricate patterns. The figures are outlined with precision, and their bodies are rendered with smooth, flowing contours. The background features elaborate patterns, typical of the Art Deco movement.

The painting shows three nude figures swirling together in an elegant, almost weightless dance, their bodies veiled by long, flowing draperies that loop around them like ribbons in the night air. Set against a deep blue sky with a glowing white moon and framed by a dark tree and hanging blossoms, the scene feels both theatrical and dreamlike. Wegener uses the classical myth of the Three Graces—symbols of beauty, charm, and joy—but reimagines them in a very 1920s Art Deco style: elongated limbs, stylized faces, and a strong sense of design. The women are closely intertwined, exchanging glances and smiles, so the painting also hints at intimacy and female desire rather than just cold “ideal beauty.” It’s less about telling a mythological story and more about celebrating movement, sensuality, and the pleasure of being looked at on their own terms.