The Calumny of Apelles

Cort made this engraving after Federico Zuccaro’s painting of the same subject, which was a recreation of a lost painting by the Greek master Apelles based on ancient literary sources. In this scene a judge accuses an artist of misdeeds, but the charges are based on slander from a rival. The judge’s ears have grown long and bat-like from listening to Anger (in chains), Envy (the winged creature), and Deceit (the man with serpent legs). The woman to the king’s right, holding a torch, personifies Calumny. On the right, the artist is being led away by Mercury and a personification of Truth, or some say Innocence. This allegory was widely known and appreciated by Renaissance artists and scholars, indicating their admiration for antiquity. This subject also addressed Renaissance artists’ wish to rival the accomplishments of their forebears and suggests that competition and rivalry were commonplace in the artistic community.