Calumny of Apelles (Botticelli)
Calumny of Apelles (it. La calunnia di Lachapelle ) is an allegorical painting by the Italian painter Sandro Botticelli.
The theme of the painting goes back to the famous description of a lost painting of the ancient painter Apelles, a contemporary of Alexander the Great, which is narrated in the fourth volume of the writings of Lucian. Probably not incurred on behalf image that should be well perceived as a bravura piece of potential patrons, Botticelli has later given away to his friend Antonio Segni.
Apelles had painted it after he had been denounced by his jealous colleagues Antiphilos with Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals, to be involved in a conspiracy against the king. After his innocence had been found, he painted in revenge to the parties his image of the dog-eared King Midas and his advisors.
Description
On the right side sits on a high throne of a king with crown and scepter, and with long donkey ears. With downcast eyes he listens to the whisperings of two female persons, the stupidity and arrogance.
Before the throne there is a three-stage wrapped in a tattered hooded coat man accusing the king holds out his left hand and with his withered right hand clutching a burning torch, the hand of a beautiful young woman. There are hatred and slander. This drags a nearly naked man 's hair behind her who has raised his hands imploringly: It is the accused and slandered Apelles. To slander are two beautiful young women who villainy and strive - with fluttering pastel colored robes induce haste - the fraud, the female in Italian fraude.
Personification of repentance - - Behind this crowded group a dry, wrapped in rags woman with veiled head turns a naked and beautiful young woman who has raised her head and points to the sky, it is the naked truth that nothing to hide has and is calling the sky as witnesses.
The scene takes place in an interior, which is characterized by a splendid Renaissance architecture. Three spanned barrel vaulted and coffered ceilings decorated and supported by massive pillars passages allow a view into an indefinite distance. Fighters zone base and the base of the pillars are decorated with antique-style reliefs, pillars themselves and the rear wall of the throne with arched niches and sculptures. The reliefs are scenes from the battle of the Centaurs and from the myth of Ariadne and Bacchus. From the figures is only to identify safe as Judith with the head of Holofernes behind the throne.