Mary Beard’s mythology trail
Professor of Ancient Literature, Mary Beard, tells the stories behind some of her favourite pieces inspired by classical myths – from Hercules and Venus to lesser-known gods, nymphs and cyclopes.You’ll find all these works on free display in the new permanent collection at the RA. If you are following this tour inside the museum, start at the Burlington Gardens Entrance and head upstairs to the free permanent collection gallery.
15 mins
Stops
Introduction
Burlington Gardens Collection Gallery, Floor 1
•
1:29
Leda and the swan , mid 16th century; Unknown artist and Rosso Fiorentino and Michelangelo Buonarroti
Burlington Gardens Collection Gallery, Floor 1
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2:33
Cast of Laocoön and his Sons (Roman version of a lost Greek original), c.100BC-50AD
Burlington Gardens Collection Gallery, Floor 1
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2:36
Crouching Venus
Weston Studio
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2:24
Study of the figure of Laocoön, between 1851-1873
The Julia and Hans Rausing Hall
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1:14
Cast of the Farnese Hercules, c.1790
The Julia and Hans Rausing Hall
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1:52
Phaeton driving the Chariot of the Sun, after 1846
Sackler Wing on the Second Floor
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1:37
The Triumph of Galatea, 1713-15
Burlington House Main Staircase
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2:30
Credits
Produced by The Royal Academy of Arts with Professor Mary Beard. Professor Mary Beard OBE is the Royal Academy’s Professor of Ancient Literature. She is a Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Newnham College. Her books include Confronting the Classics, Women and Power and SPQR and she has presented programmes for the BBC including Civilisations and Front Row Late on BBC2.