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Mythology Achilles | Aeneas | Alcestis | Alexander | Aphrodite | Apollo | Arianne | Artemis | Ceres | Chryseis | Cupid | Daedalus | Dionysus | Dirce | Endymion | Flora | Galatea | Ganymede | Graces | Hephaestus | Hercules | Io Argos | Iphigenia | Isis | Leda | Marsyas | Medea | Nereids | Niobids | Odysseus | Pan | Paris | Perseus | Phaedra | Phrixus | Pirithous | Saturn | Satyrs | Sophonisba | Theseus | Troy | Zeus
Fresco depicting Pan and the Nymphs at the Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy
Pan and the Nymphs, Pompeii, Casa di Giasone
Pan and the Nymphs Fresco - Water-based pigments on coating (123 × 93 cm) 20–25 AD
The naked young man sitting on a rock is the god Pan, recognisable by his ears and characteristic small goat horns.
The musculature of his tanned body and the colourful dresses of the three young women surrounding him are skilfully highlighted by the whiteness of the walls with the trees rising above them in the background.
Pan, the god of nature and fertility, protector of shepherds and flocks, puts down his crook and his suede cape wrapped around his left arm; he is going to play music with his flute made of reeds of different sizes that he invented.
Pan and the Nymphs The fresco depicts a musical competition between the music of the pan flute and that of the Apollonian lyre played by the elegant musician standing on the right.
The two young girls on the left listen attentively to the music of their companion in green, who strums the strings of her lyre.
They will choose the winner; the one sitting with her double flute resting on her knees, turning her head, suggests the presence of other listeners.
Silenus, Eros and Pan, Pompeii, Casa di Meleagro
Fresco - Water-based pigments on coating (Height x Width cm) DATEThe scene takes place outdoors, where an elderly Silenus is refereeing a fight between Pan and Eros.
Silenus, Eros and Pan Pan, whose name means 'everything', was originally the god of herds and shepherds; he is depicted here with his goat's feet and horns and an erect penis, as he also embodied the wild and often brutal sexual urge.
Eros represents the primal power of desire that animates all living beings on earth; he drives them to come together and unite to create new life.
The primordial force of Eros is dominating the wild instinct that frightens and causes ‘panic’ of Pan, by blocking his goat's leg in such a way that it is impossible for him to break free.
The venerable referee lowers his baton to signal the end of the fight, where the harmony of mutual attraction has shown its superiority over the dominating and brutal impulse.
Mythology Achilles | Aeneas | Alcestis | Alexander | Aphrodite | Apollo | Arianne | Artemis | Ceres | Chryseis | Cupid | Daedalus | Dionysus | Dirce | Endymion | Flora | Galatea | Ganymede | Graces | Hephaestus | Hercules | Io Argos | Iphigenia | Isis | Leda | Marsyas | Medea | Nereids | Niobids | Odysseus | Pan | Paris | Perseus | Phaedra | Phrixus | Pirithous | Saturn | Satyrs | Sophonisba | Theseus | Troy | Zeus
Frescoes Mythology | Portraits | Life Leisure | Animals | Religion | Landscapes | Decoration
Artworks Sculptures | Frescoes | Eroticism
MANN Artworks | Schedule Tickets | Location | Authorizations
Museums Borbonica | MANN | Catacombs | Capodimonte | Royal | Jago | Neapolis | Diocesano | Martino | C.Elmo | Zevallos | Floridiana | Filangeri | C.Nuovo | Aquarium | Natural H. | Archivio | Pignatelli | Madre
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