Aesculapius (Asklepios). Oil painting.

Aesculapius (Asklepios) is seated in a painted lunette with a brazier on the left and a plant on the right. He holds his staff entwined by a single snake. In Greek religion, he was the first person to be born by Caesarean section and was delivered by Apollo who rescued him from his dead mother Coronis after she had been killed by Artemis. The centaur Chiron gave him the knowledge of medicinal herbs. He was killed by Zeus because he became so skilful that he was able to revive the dead