Arion

This is a terracotta statuette made by Thomas Scheemakers in England, 1773. The statuette represents Arion and the Dolphin. According to Greek myth, Arion was a poet of the 7th century BC famous for his skill on the lyre. Whilst on board of a ship, he was threatened by the crew, and jumped overboard; he was carried safely to shore by a dolphin attracted by the sound of his music. This terracotta may be a finished work in its own right, rather than a model for a larger piece.

Thomas Scheemakers (1740-1808) was the son of the sculptor Peter Scheemakers, with whom he initially trained and worked until 1771.