King Midas Listening to Pan's Song

The baroque painting by Johann Georg Bergmüller (1688–1762) with the misleading title King Midas listening to Paris singing refers to Midas’ second foolish action. There is no sign of a goat-footed singer named Pan, nor yet of his adversary Apollo. King Midas has already been punished, as evident from the ass’s ears on which his crown is perched. Enraptured, he follows the Bacchanal. In the brightly-lit cave nearby, revellers dance to music performed in the open air. Midas is apparently the guest of Bacchus, god of wine, who reclines next to the king as a satyr serves him wine. His wreath of vine leaves and the panther-skin covering his genitals are typical attributes of Bacchus, whose retinue includes satyrs. Looking on from her crescent moon in the night sky is the moon goddess [Gr. Selene, later Roman Diana, Gr. Artemis].

Translated catalogue text from:
Ducke Astrid: Katalog. In: Astrid Ducke: Der Kuss der Musen. Festspiele göttlicher Inspiration. Residenzgalerie Salzburg. Salzburg 2020, S. 25-89, Johann Georg Bergmüller, König Midas lauscht Pans Gesang, S. 31, Abb. 23, S. 30

Translation: Gail Schamberger MA, Salzburg