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A popular subject in antiquity, offering many possible variations, the Three Graces were generally personifications of merriment, splendour and plenty. Lucas Cranach, bringing together the realism of Northern European painting and the softer imaginings characteristic of Italian art, interpreted the subject in a very personal and deliberately ironic manner. This painting joined a remarkable, yet still incomplete, set of works by Lucas Cranach. The Musée du Louvre only holds a few paintings by this artist, including three portraits, one mythological piece and one Venus in a landscape; none of these works possess the expressive power of his Three Graces.

In late 2010, the Louvre launched an unprecedented fundraising campaign to acquire a Renaissance masterpiece: The Three Graces by Lucas Cranach the Elder. Such a rare painting, of exquisite craftsmanship and in such a perfect state of conservation, demanded an ambitious effort from the museum. Thanks to the support of 7,200 donors, the work is now on display for all to see at the Louvre. The Musée du Louvre extends its warmest thanks to all those who made a donation.