Introduction
Balthasar Permoser was an 18th century artist, who was known for his signature style and depiction through sculpture and carving. He spent fourteen years in Italy, learning under Joseph Winterhalter and Donner, while being influenced by other great artists, such as Gian Lorenzo Bernini. He was renown for working without samples or models, as he was able to shape a figure out of stone with only his hands. Furthermore, his deliberate posing of figures slowly disappeared in his works; instead he followed a more free flowing type of depiction in his structures. Other than his well-praised talent, Permoser was also known for being an eccentric character, with a type of humor that was often met with ridicule. Morphing these two virtues, Permoser illustrates strong emotions, such as torment in his work. Torment is an interesting character, dynamic in its nature, and infinite in its depictions. Permoser, a connoisseur of carving ivory, wood, marble, and stone, intertwines the theme of torment in his work through the satire and parody of the characters that he creates.
Marsyas, ca. 1680/5, marble [Figure 1] Marsyas, a marble bust by Permoser illustrated in Figure 2, captures a moment in Marsyas’ myth that…show more content… One of the most notable features on the bust is the mouth, which is open widely revealing a ripped out tongue, congruent with the punishment of the Marsyas. There are wrinkles rippling from the lips of the Marsyas, extending throughout the face. Permoser continues to boast his talent for detail in the portrayal of the creature’s eyes. It is in the eyes that the torture can truly be felt, as the Marsyas squints them tightly, searching for solace. The eyebrows are bent inward, with all the skin wrinkling around above the nose and between the eyes. In addition, the forehead is indented with wrinkles that pull the skin inward, toward the eyes, emphasizing the pain of the