A Satyr Family Traveling

c. 1657

Stefano Della Bella

(Italian, 1610–1664)

Culture

Italy, 17th century

Medium

etching

Measurements

Sheet: 22.4 x 22.4 cm (8 13/16 x 8 13/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of George P. Bickford 1963.171

Catalogue raisonné

De Vesme - Massar I.69.103

State

III/III

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Location

101A Prints & Drawings

Did You Know?

The patriarch of this satyr family carries a pan flute on his hip. Named for Pan, shepherd god and friend of Bacchus in classical mythology, the pan flute was associated with pastoral settings.

Description

The idea of a satyr family captured the imagination of many artists. Stefano Della Bella’s portrayal features a father and mother who travel with their satyr son, maenad daughter, and a herd of goats while carrying a grape harvest. Della Bella deliberately evoked images of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph on their flight to Egypt. Whereas the Holy Family is sacred and chaste, the satyr family is rooted in bodily pleasures. Theirs is a union fueled by wine and revelry, embodying the reckless fertility of nature.