Daphnephoria', by Lord Frederic Leighton

Gallery Talk
Free gallery talks Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 23 November, 1pm, Main Hall

About the artwork
The Daphnephoria was a festival held every nine years in ancient Thebes in honour of the sun god, Apollo. Daphnephoros is Greek for ‘bearer of laurel’. Laurel was Apollo’s special plant and he was often depicted as ‘Apollo Daphnephoros’ carrying a laurel branch or crowned with a laurel wreath.

Leighton’s painting of the festival shows a procession, led by a priest of Apollo. He and all the participants wear laurel crowns or bear laurel branches.
Link to Lady Lever webpage