A Satyr
May one see it?
Not receiving at present
London, United Kingdom
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the sculpture
This bronze statuette representing a satyr, is an aftercast with modifications of one figure from a group by Il Riccio in the Museé National de la Renaissance, Ecouen.
Satyrs are the spirits living in woods and hills and are bestial in their behaviour and desires. They have features of animals, either of the horse or the goat. Satyrs are usually young and have Pan's goat details (in contrast to the rather old Sileni with horse ears). They were the attendants of Bacchus. They were lazy and lecherous and spent their time drinking and chasing nymphs. In medieval and Renaissance allegory they represent the evil or rather 'Lust' and may be labelled 'Luxuria' or 'Libido'.
Read on
Riccio (1470-1532) - meaning 'Curly-Head' - worked primarily in bronze and is acknowledged as the master of the bronze statuette during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He was active in the humanist circle of the University of Padua, in north-east Italy. Riccio was trained as a goldsmith and lived and worked all his live in Padua. Today he is acknowledged as one of the greatest bronze sculptors of the Renaissance.
His statuettes, functional objects, like oil lamps, and reliefs reflect Riccio's inimitable ability to express the most refined humanist ideas prevalent in the Veneto in bronze.
He was also a specialist in rendering themes of Classical mythology.
His oeuvre is often neglected because of its small scale, but it constitutes one of the most fascinating manifestations of the poetic paganism of the High Renaissance.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- A.11-1958
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
