Cycle of four episodes from the myth of Philemon and Baucis, taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses
Northern Italy, First half of the 18th century
Pencil and gouache on paper mounted on a stretcher with keys. 18th century giltwood frame.
H 68 cm L 51,5 cm
- Zeus and Hermes as mortals seeking hospitality
- Philemon and Baucis welcoming Zeus and Hermes and offering them their last geese
- Zeus and Hermes punishing the inhospitable inhabitants with a flood after sheltering Philemon and Baucis and transforming their old hovel into a temple.
- Philemon transformed into an oak tree and Baucis into a lime tree, according to their vow to remain guardians of the temple and not be separated in death.
These four illustrations of the story of Philemon and Baucis are almost literal representations of the Metamorphoses, in which Ovid praises xenia, the Greek concept of hospitality. They also provide an opportunity to appreciate the art of gardens, as well as the influence of a great architectural work through the representation of the Tempieto of San Pietro in Montorio by the architect Bramante, built around 1510.
