Parnassus

Mengs, Anton Raphael (1728-1779)

Item type:

mural

Date of creation:

1761

Height:

313.0 cm  (123 1/4 in.)

Width:

580.0 cm  (228 3/8 in.)

Technique / Medium:

fresco

Place of creation:

Roma

Description

The Parnassus was commissioned for Cardinal Albani's villa in Rome. The fresco, which was inspired by Raffaello Sanzio's composition of the same name, depicts the mythological Mount Parnassus, home to Apollo and the nine muses.

In the centre is Apollo holding a lyre, surrounded by Mnemosyne and the nine muses.
Apollo was said to be a likeness of the Cardinal Albani himself, and the muses likenesses of the women in the Cardinal's life.

People as subjects

Albani, Alessandro (1692-1779) (Non-musician/dancer)

Iconclass

93C
Parnassus, sacred to Apollo Musagetes
92B3731
Apollo and the Muses, Apollo Musagetes

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Lyre [3501]

Image URLs

image link 1
image link 2

RIdIM record id

5031