# Apollo and Marsyas [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [LANGETTI, Giovanni Battista]() - Date: 1651-1700 - Technique: Oil on canvas, 108 x 126 cm ## Commentary The paintings by Langetti mostly represent figural subjects: philosophers, heroes from Greek and Roman Antiquity, mythology or the Bible, and frequently composed of one or three half-length figures. The mythological subject of the present painting is presented in its musical context, with a depiction of Apollo and the satyr Marsyas. Convinced that his wind instrument will play the most beautiful music, Marsyas provokes Apollo, who plays a viol, and who accepts the challenge as long as the winner may impose any penalty on the loser. The consequence of the Olympian god's musical superiority is well known: Marsyas is tied to a pine tree and flayed alive. <p> <table align=left cellpadding=5 border=1 width=320 bgcolor="\#99cccc"> <tr valign=middle><td><img src="/support/gif/listen.gif" border=0 valign=middle> Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 5 minutes\):<br><a href="\#" onClick="w=window.open \('/music1/17\_cent/marini\_sonata.html', 'newWin', 'scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350'\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true"><b>Biagio Marini: Sonata in echo</b></a> </td></tr></table> ## Related artworks - [Cato]() - [Diogenes and Alexander]() - [Joseph Interprets the Baker's Dreams in Prison]() - [Lot and His Daughters]() - [Mary Magdalene at the Foot of the Cross]() - [The Good Samaritan]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()