--- title: Marble Sarcophagus with the Contest between the Muses and the Sirens author: New York Metropolitan Museum of Art source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/3810/marble-sarcophagus-with-the-contest-between-the-mu/ format: machine-readable-alternate updated: 1970-01-01 --- # Marble Sarcophagus with the Contest between the Muses and the Sirens _Authored by New York Metropolitan Museum of Art_ ## Image File [![Marble Sarcophagus with the Contest between the Muses and the Sirens](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/3810.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/3810.jpg) ## Image Caption "The deities [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/), [Zeus](https://www.worldhistory.org/zeus/), and [Hera](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hera/), assembled at the far left, preside over a musical contest between the [Muses](https://www.worldhistory.org/muse/) and Sirens. The Muses, associated with the highest intellectual and artistic aspirations, are defeating the Sirens, creatures that are half woman and half bird who lured men to destruction with their song. A drawing of the sarcophagus was commissioned by Cassiano dal Pozzo, one of the most respected patrons of art and scholarship in [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/) during the first half of the seventeenth century. It belonged at that time to the del [Nero](https://www.worldhistory.org/Nero/) family, who apparently converted it into a chest with a keyhole cut into the upper center of the frontal panel and had their coat of arms, a rampant hound, carved on the short ends of the sarcophagus." [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/), 3rd quarter of 3rd century CE 55.3 x 196.2 x 57.2 cm New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1910, 10.104 ## Cite This Work ### APA Art, N. Y. M. M. o. (2015, April 16). Marble Sarcophagus with the Contest between the Muses and the Sirens. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Art, New York Metropolitan Museum of. "Marble Sarcophagus with the Contest between the Muses and the Sirens." *World History Encyclopedia*, April 16, 2015. . ### MLA Art, New York Metropolitan Museum of. "Marble Sarcophagus with the Contest between the Muses and the Sirens." *World History Encyclopedia*, 16 Apr 2015, . ## License & Copyright © [Metropolitan Museum of Art](http://metmuseum.org/), NY. As part of the [Met's Open Access policy](https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/policies-and-documents/open-access), the Metropolitan Museum of Art has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this dataset. [Original image](http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/248205?rpp=30&pg=2&ao=on&ft=roman+music&pos=41) by [**New York Metropolitan Museum of Art**](http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/248205?rpp=30&pg=2&ao=on&ft=roman+music&pos=41). Submitted by [James Lloyd](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jtl203/ "User Page: James Lloyd"), published on 16 April 2015. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Copyright](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright). You cannot use, copy, distribute, or modify this item without explicit permission from the author. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.