This petite trompe l’oeil shows the sculpted head of Achelous, the horned idol called “God of Lezoux.” In Greek mythology, Achelous was the patron deity of the “silver-swirling” river. One popular Greek etymology translates the name as “he who washes away care.” This is the most important sentiment attached to this painting.

From the earliest times Achelous was considered to be a great divinity throughout Greece, and regarded as the representative of sweet water, the source of all nourishment.

Although its origins are unknown, the delicacy and precision of this bronze sculpture is reminiscent of Greek art in the first century A.D. The original can be found at the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France.