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Like many Greek myths, the story of Pygmalion and Galatea has
slightly different versions. Pygmalion in the most familiar of
these versions created a lifelike statue of his ideal of womanhood.
The statue which he called Galatea was so beautiful that he fell
in love with his own creation. Aphrodite, the goddess of love,
feeling pity for the anguish felt by Pygmalion, brought life
to the lovely Galatea and he was able to marry her. The story
is the subject of a nineteenth century painting by Jean Leon
Gerome which inspired the sculture. The story also inspired George
Bernard Shaw to create Professor Higgins and Eliza Doolittle,
the Pygmalion and Galatea of his play "Pygmalion."
That play in turn was the basis of the popular musical, "My
Fair Lady." |
