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The Flaying of Marsyas: C.219-1991

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An image of Plate
Current Location: In storage

Titles

The Flaying of Marsyas

Maker(s)

Production: Unknown (Probably)

Entities

Categories

Description

Renaissance maiolica plate, painted in polychrome with The Flaying of Marsyas.

Earthenware, tin-glazed overall; the reverse tinged with green near the edges. Painted in blue, green, yellow, orange, brown, grey, and white. Circular with narrow gently sloping rim and shallow well.
The Flaying of Marsyas. On the left, Marsyas is tied to a tree. Apollo strides towards him holding a knife in his right hand. Marsyas' pipes and Apollo's lyre lie on the ground. In the landscape background there are rocks, shrubs, distant sea and mountains. The edge is yellow. On the back, single yellow bands encircle the foot, shoulder and edge.

Notes

History note: H.S. Reitlinger (d.1950); the Reitlinger Trust, Maidenhead, from which transferred in 1991

Legal notes

H.S. Reitlinger Bequest, 1950; transferred from the Reitlinger Trust, 1991

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 24.1 cm
Height: 3.0 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1991-04-29) by Reitlinger, Henry Scipio

Dating

16th Century, Late
Renaissance
Circa 1565 CE - 1580 CE

Note

The figures were derived from the woodcut in Gabriello Symeoni's 'Metamorfoseo d'Ovidio', Lyon (Jean de Tournes), 1559.

School or Style

Renaissance

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of high-temperature colours ( blue, green, yellow, orange, brown, grey, and white)

Materials used in production

Tin-glaze
Earthenware

Techniques used in production

Moulding : Earthenware, tin-glazed overall; the reverse tinged with green near the edges. Painted in blue, green, yellow, orange, brown, grey, and white.
Tin-glazing

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: circular with serrated edge

  • Text: 535/c
  • Method of creation: Inscribed in pencil
  • Type: Label

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.219-1991
Primary reference Number: 73191

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 30 April 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "The Flaying of Marsyas" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/73191 Accessed: 2025-12-09 11:21:44

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/73191 |title=The Flaying of Marsyas |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-09 11:21:44|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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