CloseZoom In Zoom Out Niccolò dell'Abate: 'The Death of
Eurydice' In the middle distance Orpheus charms wild animals; in
the left foreground three nymphs are unaware of the assault by
the shepherd Aristaeus on the virtue of Eurydice, Orpheus' wife;
centre, the serpent bites her, and right, she dies; further
right, Aristaeus consults his mother Cyrene concerning the death
of his bees. On the extreme right is the sea-god Proteus who
explained to Aristaeus that the disaster in the hives was a
punishment for the pursuit of Eurydice. Virgil, 'Georgics' (IV,
315-558).  This picture was probably painted in France where
Niccolò worked from 1552 onwards.  Further information