Apollo and Marsyas and the Judgment of Midas: at right Midas with the ears of an ass resting his hand against a tree stump, at center Apollo holds a flaying knife, at left the flayed corpse of Marsyas roped to a tree, soldiers and satyrs beyond 1581

Melchior Meier's 1581 engraving "Apollo and Marsyas and the Judgment of Midas" depicts the aftermath of a musical contest between the god Apollo and the satyr Marsyas. Marsyas, having lost the contest, is flayed alive by Apollo, while the god holds a flaying knife in his right hand. The scene is further accentuated by the presence of Midas, who, after choosing Marsyas' music over Apollo's, has been cursed with the ears of an ass. This detailed engraving, characteristic of the Northern Renaissance, showcases Meier's mastery of depicting the human figure, capturing the drama and cruelty of the myth.