Plate 58: Apollo Killing Marsyas (Marsyas victus ab Apolline excoriatur), from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' 1606

Antonio Tempesta created this engraving, ‘Apollo Killing Marsyas’ as part of a series illustrating Ovid's 'Metamorphoses’. This incredibly violent scene depicts the flaying of Marsyas, a half-man, half-goat satyr, by the god Apollo. Marsyas dared to challenge Apollo's musical skills, a challenge that resulted in his gruesome punishment. What does it mean to depict a half-human figure subjected to torture by a god? The tale of Marsyas is one of hubris, but also one of the dangers of challenging authority, especially when that authority rests on claims of cultural or intellectual superiority. In Tempesta’s time, class and social standing dictated access to power, which inevitably led to situations of deep inequality and injustice. The emotional depth of this work lies in its stark portrayal of vulnerability and the abuse of power, making us question the cost of ambition, and who gets to define artistic greatness.