The so-called "Dancing Hours" are representations of the "Horae", or the "Hours of the Day".  Many consider this to be the most famous of the Jasper relief subjects produced by Wedgwood, and it is generally attributed to the hand of John Flaxman Jnr (1755-1826).  Flaxman, artist, sculptor and modeller worked in many disciplines. Other examples of his work include the "Apotheosis of Homer" bas-relief, which was directly inspired by a scene that appeared on a vase formerly in the collection of Sir William Hamilton.

The most likely source for the design was a chimney piece of marble and lapis lazuli installed by Sir Laurence Dundas at Moor Park, Herefordshire.  The chimney piece formerly from the Borghese Collection incorporated "Dancing Maenads" copied from a Graeco-Roman model relief of the first century.  The marble and lapis lazuli chimney piece from Moor Park is now in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight.