Apollo Flaying Marsyas c. 16th century

This drawing of Apollo Flaying Marsyas was made by an anonymous artist, using pen and brown ink with brown wash on paper. Although we cannot know the specific social context of this work, its themes of violence and power are revealing. The scene depicts the mythological story of Apollo punishing Marsyas for his hubris. The story tells of a musical contest between the two, but more broadly it shows a clash between the established order, represented by Apollo, and the rebellious, outsider figure of Marsyas. The graphic depiction of torture might be related to the social world of its time. The image of the flaying of Marsyas was particularly popular during the Renaissance and Baroque eras, when the ruling classes would brutally punish those who challenged their authority. As art historians, we seek to uncover these kinds of social and political meanings of artworks, often hidden in plain sight. This requires research in historical archives, studies of social and cultural history, and an understanding of the relevant institutional structures.