Marsyas
View FullscreenBernard Picart and workshop, Marsyas écorché par Apollon (Apollo Flaying Marsyas), 1732, engraving, The Warburg Institute Library, London
Marsyas was a satyr musician who played a reed instrument. He boasted of his skills, which led the god Apollo to challenge him to a contest. Apollo is deemed the winner, and as punushment Marsyas was tied upside down to a tree flayed.
Marsyas is typically shown either during the contest, or being flayed (as is seen here). He typically plays a reed instrument such as an oboe, but some artists substitute a pan pipe or other form of wind instrument.