Polyphemus/Acis und Galathea · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Polyphemus/Acis und Galathea
Period: 1550-1600;
Geographic: Sicily; Italy
Description: This engraving depicts Scylla surrounded by her nymph friends while she combs Galatea’s hair. As Scylla combs Galatea’s hair, she discusses her love life and how she is always sought out by men. Galatea is depicted kneeling by the water with her hand to her face as she cries due to her own unfortunate love life. Galatea explains that she was once in love with a man named Acis, but he was killed by a cyclops named Polyphemus.
Image Creator: Virgil Solis (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:23256
Language: ger
Source Name: P. Ouidij Nasonis, deß Sinnreichen und hochverstendigen Poeten, Metamorphoses oder Verwandlung, mit schönen figuren gezieret, auch kurzen Argumenten und außlegungen erkläret, und in Teutsche Reymen gebracht, durch Johann Spreng von Augspurg [Publius Ovidius Naso, the Ingenious and Highly Understandable Poet, Metamorphoses or Transformations, Adorned with Beautiful Images, and also descriptions of Short Arguments and Explanations, Brought into German Rhymes by Johann Spreng of Augsburg]
Parent Collection: 1564 Frankfurt Spreng
Image: mta_23256_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Ovid's Metamorphoses
Subject: Scylla; Galatea; Nymphs; Acis; Polyphemus; Cyclops; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology