Apollo and Marsyas
A Few Points
on the Subject of Iconography
Julie Delvaux
We know this story: Marsyas challenged
Apollo to win the musical contest, and
then Apollo flayed the unlucky satyr. In
spite of being rather gruesome, the
story was often commemorated in
painting, sculpture, and even mosaic.
So many artists, so many stories – and
the story
of Apollo and Marsyas is by no means an
exclusion...

Whose Limbs Are Those, Anyway?
Being a satyr, Marsyas would have the appearance of a goat below the
waist. But this was not always the case, if we look at some
iconographical representations.

The Unbearable Lightness of Flaying
Very often we see a peculiar concentration on the face of Apollo, as he is
depicted flaying Marsyas. On this 1637 Jusepe de Ribera painting, Apollo is
heavily involved in the “operation”.

The Unbearable Lightness of Flaying
Other times Apollo watches Marsyas
with all his divine attention, and the
image becomes almost comical.

The Unbearable Lightness of Flaying
And yet on some
occasions, as in this
painting by Titian,
Apollo, in the most
historical fashion,
accompanies the
punishment by playing
his lyre.

Using Myths to Illustrate Science
Whether Apollo was single-handedly flaying Marsyas or was the most
distinguished onlooker, the story of a musical contest and its aftermath
was a good chance to showcase the knowledge of human anatomy and the
experience of attending the anatomy theatre.

The Face of Marsyas
Apollo was taking time to punish his contestant; Marsyas was screaming in
agonising pain. The satyr was an enviable character to paint or carve –
precisely for the range of emotions that could be conveyed via a distorted
human face.

This presentation used works by Luca Giordano, Jusepe de Ribera, Raphael,
Carle van Loo, Titian, Guercino, Giulio Carpioni, Antonio Corradini, Balthasar
Permoser, Jacob Jordaens, and Pietro Perugino. Antonio Corradini sculpture ca
seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; Balthasar Permoser work is
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
© Julie Delvaux
2009
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