Italian Urbino maiolica 'istoriatio' dish, mid 16th century, decorated with the musical contest between Apollo and Marsyas, the laurel-crowned Apollo on the left with his lira di braccio, Marsyas seated with bagpipes in the centre, with the crowned figure of King Midas between, to the right the outcome of the contest is depicted with Apollo tying Marsyas to a tree to be flayed, in the distance buildings on the bank of a river, the rim with a band of yellow, the reverse inscribed with a faint ink inscription Appolle & Marsia in blue script,
In some versions of this story Marysyas is replaced by Pan, an Urbino dish with this subject is illustrated in Thornton & Wilson, 'Italian Renaissance Ceramics: A Catalogue of the British Museum', Vol. I., p. 302, pl. 177.
Dimensions:
Diameter: 10in., 25.5.cm;I
