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Centaur carrying a youth and teaching him to play the lyre
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Centaur carrying a youth and teaching him to play the lyre
Centaur carrying a youth and teaching him to play the lyre.. Painting removed from a wall of a room, possibly a triclinium or dining room, in a house in Pompeii in 1749. Centaur carrying a youth and teaching him to play the lyre, as Chiron taught Achilles. The boy holds a thyrsus decorated with a ribbon and a gold tympanum drum. Copperplate engraved by Tommaso Piroli from his own Antichita di Ercolano (Antiquities of Herculaneum), Rome, 1789
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Media ID 14206247
© Florilegius / Mary Evans
Antichitadiercolano Antiquitiesofherculaneum Centaur Lyre Pompeii Tommasopiroli Youth
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EDITORS COMMENTS
1. Title: "The Lesson of Music: A Centaur Nurturing the Next Generation in the Art of Lyre Playing" This image captures the timeless essence of knowledge transfer and the power of music, as depicted in a 18th-century painting discovered in Pompeii. The scene unfolds with a wise centaur, a mythological creature known for its human torso and equine lower body, patiently instructing a young boy in the art of playing the lyre. The centaur's gentle touch and the boy's earnest expression convey the deep connection between teacher and student. The boy, adorned with a thyrsus – a staff crowned with ivy, pine cones, and a ribbon – and a gold tympanum drum, embodies the spirit of ancient Greek culture. The thyrsus was a symbol of Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, and music, while the tympanum drum was an essential instrument in ancient Greek music. This painting, removed from a wall of a triclinium or dining room in a house in Pompeii in 1749, is a testament to the rich history and artistic traditions of the ancient world. The image was later copperplate engraved by Tommaso Piroli in 1789 for his publication, "Antichita di Ercolano" (Antiquities of Herculaneum). Piroli's meticulous engraving preserves the intricate details of the painting, allowing future generations to appreciate the classical beauty and wisdom it embodies. The centaur's role as a teacher, as depicted in this painting, is reminiscent of the mythological figure Chiron, who was renowned for mentoring the great hero Achilles. This scene encapsulates the enduring power of music and the importance of passing down knowledge and skills from one generation to the next.
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