SCULPTURE OF CEPHALUS AND AURORA was one of John Flaxman's first major works and was made in Rome, where he studied the original antiquity - the trip was made possible with he had earned working with Josiah Wedgewood. In the story of Cephalus, as captured in Ovid's Metamorphoses, the youth succumbs to the charms of Aurora, Greek goddess of the dawn, after resisting her persistent advances.The sculpture was commissioned by the famous collector, Thomas Hope and took pride of place in the 'Star Room' of Hope's residence in Duchess Street. It was purchased by Lever in 1917 at the Hope Heirlooms sale.