Landscape with a Satyr

The site of an enigmatic encounter between a goat and a satyr, this sun-drenched landscape evokes the Arcadian realm of ancient literature, in which the satyr is an often lustful and drunken presence. Here he sits with an urn (presumably filled with wine), his hairy, muscular body illuminated by the sun and modeled with vigorous cross-hatching. Thin, directional strokes of the pen distinguish the gently rolling hills and steep crags in the distance.

Paul Sandby, London (Lugt 2112, recto, bottom left). Sir Joshua Reynolds. Sir Thomas Lawrence. Samuel Woodburn, 1835. His sale, May 1836, Lot 79. William Esdaile, 1836. His sale, June 30, 1840, Christie’s, Lot 87. Andrew James. Miss James. Her sale, June 27, 1891, Christie’s, Lot 253. John Postle Heseltine, London. P. and D. Colnaghi, 1912. Henry Oppenheimer, London. His sale, July 10–14, 1936, Christie’s, Lot 196. Frick, 1936.

Source: The Frick Collection: Drawings, Prints & Later Acquisitions. Volume IX. New York: The Frick Collection, 2003.