Period: 18th century   Dimensions: 196 x 84 cm

Polychrome Neoclassical tile panel, probably once part of a continuous decorative composition. It has a symmetrical arrangement centred on two semi-nude hybrid female figures with foliate tails, painted in shades of blue and manganese, holding baskets of flowers above their heads. A floral garland between the figures articulates the central composition. At the sides are two facing birds, set within niches formed by foliate garlands. The ornamental repertoire is characteristic of Portuguese Neoclassical taste, which became established in Portugal from the 1780s onwards, with the adoption of a lighter, more graphic and refined decorative language inspired by the classical revival associated with the discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum.