Orpheus Playing the Lyre to Hades and Persephone, from Orpheus and Eurydice or The Metamorphoses c. 1685

This tapestry, "Orpheus Playing the Lyre to Hades and Persephone", created by the Wauters Workshop around 1685, depicts the Greek myth of Orpheus, who travels to the underworld to retrieve his beloved Eurydice. Here, Orpheus plays his lyre to Hades and Persephone, the rulers of the underworld, in an attempt to persuade them to release Eurydice. The tapestry, woven with intricate detail, showcases the skill of the Wauters Workshop in creating a scene rich with symbolism and narrative power. This tapestry, now at the Art Institute of Chicago, is a prime example of the 17th-century fascination with classical mythology.