The subject of the painting is taken from John Milton’s pastoral poem L’Allegro (The Happy Man), published in 1645. A contemporary noted that the three pictures Frost had painted for the Queen had ‘their origin from the three great poets of England. Spenser, Milton and Shakespeare’. The Three Graces from Greek mythology are led in dance by the nymph Euphrosyne, who personifies joy or mirth, playing a tambourine. She is accompanied by her sisters, Aglaia representing elegance and Thalia, embodying youth and beauty. They were the daughters of Zeus and came to symbolise pagan beauty. Queen Victoria had seen a larger picture of the same subject by Frost which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in May 1848, and it pleased her so much that she commissioned this smaller version of the central group for Prince Albert’s birthday on 26 August. Signed and dated: WE FROST 1848. Inscribed on the back with the title, name of the artist and the date, 1848.