Antoni van Leest: Arion on the Dolphin (1577-1578)

(Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

A woodcut made by the Flemish artist Antoni van Leest (1543/1547 - 1586/1592). Arion was a ancient Greek performer. from the island of Lesbos. According to a tale, Arion had won a contest in Sicily. On his voyage home, the sailors stole the rich prizes Arion carried home and wanted to throw him overboard. Arion managed to convince the sailors to let him play one final song, a praise to Apollo, the god of poetry. After the song Arion jumped overboard but was rescued by dolphins, sent by Apollo. Arion managed to reach land and told his story to Periander, the Tyrant of Corinth. When the ship with the sailors arrived in Corinth Periander ordered the sailors to explain what happened to Arion. The sailors sweared that Arion had died at sea but when Arion showed himself, they were silent. The dolphin was catasterised as the constellation Delphinus by Apollo. This woodcut was a design for a ceremonial entry of prince William I 'the silent' of Orange in Brussels on September 18, 1577. Woodcut from 1577-1578.