On June 23, 2021 I found myself wandering the grand halls of the Reggia di Caserta, in Italy. Can you guess which rooms were my favorite? The seasonal ones, specifically the Autumn Room! I fell in love with these frescoes as I’m totally satyr obsessed! I adore these nymphs and happy satyrs surrounded by all…
Category: Painting
Bacchanalian Rites
BACCHANALIA, ORGIA, or Dionysia, the sacred rites of Bacchus were celebrated every third year, hence called Trieterica, in the night, chiefly on Cithaeron, and Ismeus, in Boeotia; and on Isguarus, Rhodope, and Edon, in Thrace. In these rites, it was common for the votaries to put on fawn skins, fine linen, and mitres; to carry…
Bacchanalia by Giacomo Leonardus
Happy Saturnalia, everyone. The equinox has come and gone and days should be getting longer from now on. A good reason to celebrate. Here is a fabulous engraving by Giacomo Leonardus after the famous Sebastiano Ricci featuring bacchanalian revelry. This print is dated 1763.
Stefano Della Bella’s Satyrs Are Family Oriented
Satyrs sometimes need their quiet time. Stefano Della Bella’s delicate touch with the etching needle infuses these intimate scenes of nursing and bathing with a soft, woodland light. These etchings date back to 1656.
Bacchus and Ceres with Nymphs and Satyrs, and some background on Sébastien Bourdon
Excerpt from: The Works of Eminent Masters, in Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, and Decorative Arts, VOL II) A man of easy and universal talent, Bourdon had his day of glory and fame, and, more fortunate than many equally clever men, he has preserved the reputation of the past, and descended with approbation and smiles to…
Bacchus and Ariadne on the Island of Naxos by Sébastien Bourdon
Bacchus and Ariadne on the Island of Naxos, Sébastien Bourdon (Montpellier 1616-1671 Paris) Following the death of the Minotaur and his escape from the Labyrinth, the Greek hero Theseus unceremoniously abandoned Ariadne, daughter the Cretan king, Minos, on the Greek island of Naxos. Many variations of the myth exist; in most, Ariadne is discovered soon…
Nymphs and Satyrs by George Frederic Watts
Nymphs were female deities who lived either in the waters of the earth or on land. They were immortal and were generally thought of as young, beautiful virgins. Satyrs were demigods of the land with the heads of men but with the feet and legs of goats. They were most often in the company of…
Nymphs and Satyr by William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Painted in 1873, Nymphs and Satyr is a painting of oil on canvas. A large, almost lifelike picture, it shows a group of nymphs bathing in a secluded pool. The picture shows a lustful satyr surprising the nymphs. In the painting, several of the nymphs have withdrawn into the shadows on the right. The other…
Allegories by J. Audran
What a fine conglomeration of hooves! Etchings by J. Audran (Source: Wellcome Collection)
Hours of the Day by Charles Le Brun
Charles Le Brun (24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was the most important and influential designer during the reign of the French king, Louis XIV. His work in the Baroque style permeated design and decoration in almost every medium; for nearly thirty years he personally designed or supervised the production of most of the paintings, sculptures, and decorative…
The Pipes of Pan by  Mariano Fortuny y Carbó
The Pipes of Pan, 1865. By Mariano Fortuny y Carbó (Spanish, 1838-1874). Watercolor with traces of pen and black ink; border in graphite. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Muriel Butkin
Nymph and Satyr by Konstantin Yegorovich Makovsky
Konstantin Makovsky was born in Moscow on June 20, 1839. His father was the Russian art figure and amateur painter, Yegor Ivanovich Makovsky. His mother was a composer, and she hoped her son would one day follow in her footsteps. His younger brothers Vladimir and Nikolay and his sister Alexandra also went on to become painters. In 1851 Makovsky entered the Moscow…
Bacchus Procession, Gubbio.
I visited Gubbio, Italy in November last year (2018) and spent some time in the Palazzo dei Consoli Civic Museum. The museum is impressive. It holds the Eugubine tablets, keys to deciphering the Umbrian language, and an extensive collection of archeological and religious artifacts. Tucked away in a small room in one of its many…
Satyr Watching Nymphs Dancing
Satyr watching Some Nymphs Dancing, Josep Maria Sert, 1913, Spain. Black and silver grisaille on canvas panel. This panel was part of the painted scheme that Josep MarÃa Sert produced for the decoration of Kent House owned by Sir Saxton Noble in Knightsbridge, London. It forms a pair with Apollo flying through the Clouds, also in the Colección…
Venus and Satyr with Two Cupids
Venus and Satyr with Two Cupids is a painting by Annibale Carracci. The work is also known as La Baccante. Given the explicit sensuality of the painting, due to the nudity of the goddess, whose buttocks are exposed, a clear sexual allusion was seen in the work, further emphasized by the contrast between the opulent and rosy forms of…
Frisky Satyr 