The Calumny of Apelles 1849

John Vanderlyn painted "The Calumny of Apelles" using oil on canvas. The allegorical scene is inspired by a lost painting by Apelles, the court painter of Alexander the Great. Central to the scene is the enthroned king Midas, with ass’s ears, flanked by Ignorance and Suspicion, extending his hand toward Calumny, who drags an innocent youth before him. The figure of Calumny, a personification of false accusation, is a motif that echoes through art history. Botticelli also depicted this scene, capturing the psychological turmoil caused by deceit. The torchbearer guiding Calumny, often identified as Envy or Conspiracy, can be seen as a symbol of the destructive power of misinformation, which reappears across centuries, from medieval morality plays to modern political cartoons. This potent imagery, driven by collective fears and anxieties about justice and truth, engages viewers on a deeply emotional level. The act of bearing false witness, a recurring theme in art and literature, reveals humanity's continuous struggle to overcome its darker impulses. This timeless scene of betrayal and injustice resonates in endless interpretations across time.