"Musical Contest Between Apollo And Pan - 17th Gilt Bronze Plaque - Large Plaquette"
Beautiful gilt bronze plaque depicting the Musical Contest between Apollo and Pan.
Netherlands, mid-17th century.
Diameter: 19.3 cm.
This plaque, in very high relief, depicts the musical contest between Pan and Apollo before a jury composed of Kings Tmolus and Midas. While Tmolus declared the god of the arts and music the victor, the less wise Midas sided with Pan. To punish him, Apollo gave him donkey ears. The story is recounted by Ovid in his Metamorphoses.
The plaque has been attributed, in particular, to Hans Christiaens, a pupil of Arent van Bolten. The attribution remains debated, but the influence of Arent van Bolten now seems certain.
Bibliography:
Ingrid Weber, Deutsche, Niederländische und Französische Renaissance-plaketten, 1975, cat. no. 969.
Le Magazine de PROANTIC
TRÉSORS Magazine
Rivista Artiquariato
