Masked figure:  Mnemosyne,  Mother of the nine Muses and Greek female personification of memory.
She was  believed to have given birth to all the arts and sciences,
In the painting she holds  the vessel of memory and primal birth  and  wears the mask of Lethe, forgetting .
She partially covers an  Earth Mother figure or Gaia, the primal Greek goddess personifying the Earth
and represents our loss of a close connection to Nature.  She releases  birds, our primal connection to the universe

Profile of royal Nubian profile in hind quarters of tigress on right.

 

Feminine Paintings and Poetry