Circle of Ercole de'Roberti

This panel illustrates one of the stories from Bocaccio's Decameron, that of Nastagio degli Onesti. Refused by the woman he wished to marry, the despondent Nastagio took a walk in the wood where he experienced a startling vision: a naked young woman fleeing in terror from a nobleman on horseback who pursued her with his hounds. Astonishingly, when the dogs eventually caught and killed the woman, she immediately returned to life and the chase began anew. Nastagio asked the nobleman the meaning of this horrible event, and was told that this was her eternal punishment: to be pursued by the suitor she scorned, who subsequently committed suicide out of despair. Realizing the opportunity this presented, Nastagio immediately organized a picnic in the forest for the young woman he desired and her family, whereupon the entire group was frightened by the same vision. Terrified by the prospect of a similar fate, the object of Nastagio's love relented and agreed to marry him.

The story of Nastagio was depicted by Botticelli in a well-known series of four panels, three in the Prado, Madrid, and one in a private collection. In this work, the narrative has been condensed into a single panel.