Ancient painting "Orpheus Charming the Animals" oil on panel '700

Oil on panel. Northern European school of the 18th century. The scene, arranged horizontally, depicts the myth of Orpheus, son of Apollo, who received a lyre from his father with which he tamed wild animals, moved rocks, and bent trees. The story is known from Virgil's Georgics and Ovid's Metamorphoses: a symbol of the civilising power of art, it is a popular subject in European art. Orpheus is depicted at the centre, sitting on a rock among the trees, playing the lyre. On either side are numerous animals of various species coming towards him, from both nearby and distant environments, including exotic animals (an elf, lions, a llama, etc.) and, on the right edge, a fantastic beast, the unicorn. In the background, there is a stream with a town on the bank; to the left, on the hill, a small temple, probably dedicated to the god Apollo. The painting has been restored in the past. It is presented in a period gilded frame.