This colourful oil depicts the Ancient Greek hero Heracles together with his half-sister Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war. One of the most celebrated Greco-Roman characters, Heracles is typically illustrated in the midst of battle or as an athlete, symbolising strength and bravery. In this example however, Piper draws on lesser-known early portrayals of the demi-God as a musician playing a lyre or kithara. He is often seen playing to members of his divine family, with Athena always present either as bystander or aid. This oil was another potential design for an illustration in Bertrand Russell's book 'Wisdom of the West'.