Narcissus Is Changed Into A Flower

48.5 x 32 cm (19.1 x 12.6 inches).
Narcissus Is Changed Into A Flower
This spectacular baroque engraving is from Bernard Picart's Le Temple Des Muses.
The engraving was made in 1733, is from the first edition and is an original antique. It has captions in French, English, German, and Dutch.
It is in very good condition for its age.
In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a beautiful hunter. A seer foretold he would live a long life if he never discovered himself. As punishment for spurning the nymph Echo, Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, lured him to a pool where he saw himself in the bloom of youth. Narcissus did not realize it was his own reflection and fell deeply in love with it. His love could not be reciprocated and he melted away from the fire of passion burning inside him, turning into a gold and white flower.