Mid-Morning Art Thread [Kris]

Two Satyrs
Peter Paul Rubens

Satyrs were woodland creatures from ancient Greek mythology. Early depictions were of wild and playful human-like creatures with tails. By the era following Alexander the Great, satyrs had evolved into the more familiar man-goat form associated with debauchery and the wine god Dionysus. This is the image that has been passed down through Western culture to today.

In this work, Peter Paul Rubens presents this creature in all his debased, debauched glory. The figure in front stares full-on at me with this unsettling grin. It’s the cringy type of grin a drunk gives you from across a bar. His cheeks and nose are red from too much drinking and his eyes are watery. In fact, he looks like he is having a hard time focusing on me. His hair and beard are wild and unkempt, with a crown made of grape vines (I think) on his head. He looks barbaric and unruly.

The figure in back tones down the work some. To me, he looks unserious and is just hanging out with no real purpose. In profile, he guzzles wine from a cup, chugging it so fast, some of it spills from his mouth. He is clownish and unserious. In fact, he is so disinterested in anything but his drink, I wondered what would happen to the work if I mentally erased him. It changed the painting dramatically.

Satyrs were sex-fiends that symbolized hedonism and carnal satisfaction. Today, a man with an insatiable sexual desire is said to have satyrism. The front satyr becomes much more menacing when I remove his companion. His nearly nude, muscular body shows off a powerful figure. The animal skin covering makes him wild and earthy. And then there’s that stare. I can’t stop looking at him – especially his eyes. His left eye, in shadow, catches the light, giving it an eerie glow. This reminds me of the publicity poster for The Terminator with its glowing red eye. I feel uneasy around him.

My opinion of this work completely changed while writing this essay. At first, I thought Two Satyrs goofy and light-hearted. Now I think it’s creepy.

posted by Open Blogger at 09:30 AM

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