Oordeel van Midas 1631 - 1632

This etching, "Oordeel van Midas," was created by Johann Wilhelm Baur in the 17th century. Baur, who lived through the Thirty Years' War, a devastating conflict marked by religious and political strife, captures a pivotal moment from classical mythology. In the scene, Midas, the king known for his greed, is asked to judge a musical contest between Apollo and Pan. Midas foolishly favors Pan, a figure often associated with the wild and instinctual, over Apollo, the god of reason and art. Apollo, radiating divine light, stands in stark contrast to the rustic and somewhat crude figures surrounding Pan. Baur's detailed etching invites us to reflect on the consequences of poor judgment and the dangers of valuing the superficial over the profound. It serves as a reminder of the importance of discernment and the enduring power of classical narratives to comment on human folly. The emotional weight of Midas' error hangs in the balance, a cautionary tale rendered with the precision of line and depth of meaning characteristic of Baur's work.