Circle of Pompeo Girolamo Batoni, Apollo and Marsyas, 1770, Oil on Canvas

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Apollo and marsyas, pompeo girolamo batoni (lucca 1708 – rome 1787) circle

oil on canvas (65 x 83 cm. - … Read more Apollo and marsyas, pompeo girolamo batoni (lucca 1708 – rome 1787) circle

oil on canvas (65 x 83 cm. - framed 84 x 102 cm.)

provenance: private collection, rome

the subject of the painting is taken from the mythological tale of the musical competition between the god apollo and the satyr marsyas, narrated by the poet ovid in the metamorphoses (book vi passages 282-400, and book xi passages 150-194).

the satyr marsyas, after discovering the double-reed flute (aulos) invented by the goddess athena, became so skilled at playing it that he dared to challenge the god apollo with his lyre to a musical contest. After losing, apollo, thanks to a clever ploy by apollo, was punished for his arrogance.

the scene, set in a wooded landscape, captures the most dramatic moment of the tale: the execution of the punishment chosen by the vengeful apollo, winner of the contest. The god, recognizable by the laurel wreath and bow on his back, holds a sharp instrument and grasps a piece of marsyas' skin, tied to a tree trunk with his hands raised, to flay him.

the theme of apollo and marsyas was favored by authors between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries for its symbolic value, alluding to the struggle between celestial harmony, reason (personified by apollo), and human pride (marsyas), between rationality and pure passion. The punishment, though bloody, is a sort of purification rite: the skin represents the external appearance, which is removed to unmask vanity and reveal the true essence, in a painful but purifying process.

the work is attributed to a neoclassical painter of the roman school active in the 18th century, part of the circle of pompeo girolamo batoni (lucca 1708 – rome 1787).

the defined drawing, the color palette, the balanced composition, and the plasticity of the anatomical figures reflect the 18th-century taste for the new vision of neoclassical art, which also embraced mythological themes. Batoni was a leading exponent of this style, abandoning the excessive and redundant baroque aesthetic for a return to the principles of balance, composure, and serenity.

of lucca origins, pompeo batoni moved to rome in his twenties, where within a few years he began to receive prestigious commissions. His career, which continued to grow, lasted over fifty years, and saw him, with the crucial collaboration of his children, create an impressive number of commissioned paintings.

in excellent condition, complete with gilded frame.

additional information:

the work is sold complete with a beautiful gold frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic . This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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