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Myrrha giving birth to Adonis, plate
1550
Medium
earthenware (maiolica)
Measurements
3.4 × 23.2 cm diameter
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Bequest of Howard Spensley, 1939
Gallery location
16th & 17th Century Gallery - Painting and Sculpture
Mezzanine linked to Level 1, NGV International
About this work
The story of the birth of Adonis is contained in Book 10 of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Myrrha tricked her father, Cinyras, into committing incest with her. Discovering what they had done, Cinyras tried to kill her. She fled, pregnant, and as she was about to give birth was transformed into a myrrh tree. The baby Adonis was subsequently born from the tree.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Italy
Inscription
painted in blue on base c.: Orid(...illeg.) narra(...illeg.)l / parto demirra / 1550
Accession Number
4405-D3
Department
International Decorative Arts
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited