Artwork
The Judgement of Midas. The Musical Contest between Apollo and Marsyas
The Judgement of Midas. The Musical Contest between Apollo and Marsyas is an oil painting by the Venetian Renaissance artist Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano. It dates from 1507 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Cima da Conegliano's painting illustrates the mythological musical contest between the god Apollo and the satyr Marsyas to determine superior musicianship.
Cima da Conegliano's painting illustrates the mythological musical contest between the god Apollo and the satyr Marsyas to determine superior musicianship. The work specifically depicts King Midas acting as the judge of this dispute, a variation on the ancient theme where some versions suggest he offered an unsolicited opinion. By rendering a verdict in favor of Marsyas, Midas incurs the wrath of Apollo.
The composition visually identifies the competitors and the arbiter within a landscape setting that includes elements such as a horse and a sailing ship, grounding the divine conflict in a tangible environment.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, this work measures 43 by 73 centimeters. The painting dates to the period between 1507 and 1509, with specific internal records pinpointing the year 1507. As a mythological composition, the piece utilizes the medium to render figures including Apollo, Marsyas, and King Midas within a landscape setting that incorporates elements such as mountains and a sailing ship.
The application of oil allows for the detailed depiction of textures, from the satyr's form to the bowed string instruments central to the musical contest narrative. The support structure of the panel has preserved the work since its creation in the early sixteenth century.
History & Provenance
The painting, an oil on panel measuring 43 × 73 cm, was produced by Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano between 1507 and 1509, with internal records pinpointing 1507. It is part of the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it has been displayed since its acquisition. The work was previously owned by Adam Gottlob Detlev von Moltke before entering the museum's holdings.
Its subject follows the mythological musical contest between Apollo and Marsyas, judged by King Midas, a theme recurrent in Renaissance art.
Context
Created by Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano between 1507 and 1509, this oil-on-panel painting exemplifies the High Renaissance engagement with classical mythology. The work depicts the specific narrative variant where King Midas serves as the arbiter in the musical contest between Apollo and Marsyas, a subject frequently explored in antiquity and the Renaissance. By portraying Midas's judgment, which favored Marsyas and incurred Apollo's wrath, Cima da Conegliano aligns the piece with broader humanist interests in mythological allegory and moral instruction.
The painting is currently held in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it stands as a documented example of the artist's output during the early sixteenth century.
Overview
Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano, a Venetian Renaissance painter, completed The Judgement of Midas. The Musical Contest between Apollo and Marsyas in 1507. This oil painting illustrates a dramatic mythological narrative, showcasing the artist's characteristic serene style and meticulous attention to landscape.
The artwork is presently housed within the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, representing a significant example of early 16th-century Venetian art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano
Giovanni Battista Cima, also called Cima da Conegliano (c. 1459 – c. 1517), was an Italian Renaissance painter, who mostly worked in Venice. He can be considered part of the Venetian school, though he was also…
