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.