Resting Satyr
Encyclopedia
The Resting Satyr or Leaning Satyr, also known as the Satyr anapauomenos (in ancient Greek
, from / anapaúô, to rest) is a statue type generally attributed to the ancient Greek
sculptor Praxiteles
. 115 examples of the type are known, of which the best known is in the Capitoline Museums
.
, identifiable from his clearly pointed ears and the pardalide (panther
pelt) worn across his torso. He rests his right elbow on a tree trunk, in an unstable position, supported only on his left leg. His right leg is bent, with his right foot just touching his left heel. In a number of examples a restorer has added an attribute held in his right hand, often a flute or Pan pipes, while the left hand is on the left hip holding down the pelt. The facial features are well defined and the nose slightly upturned. His heavy hair, recalling the iconography of river gods, is held by a cord or a crown.
in his Natural History XXXIV, 69:
Since Winckelmann this word has traditionally been translated as "famous". This celebrity explains the large number of examples of this type, one of the most popular in the Mediterranean - just under 115 have been found, including 15 from Rome, 4 from North Africa, 8 from Greece, two from Spain and one from Gaul.
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
, from / anapaúô, to rest) is a statue type generally attributed to the ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
sculptor Praxiteles
Praxiteles
Praxiteles of Athens, the son of Cephisodotus the Elder, was the most renowned of the Attic sculptors of the 4th century BC. He was the first to sculpt the nude female form in a life-size statue...
. 115 examples of the type are known, of which the best known is in the Capitoline Museums
Capitoline Museums
The Capitoline Museums are a group of art and archeological museums in Piazza del Campidoglio, on top of the Capitoline Hill in Rome, Italy. The museums are contained in three palazzi surrounding a central trapezoidal piazza in a plan conceived by Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1536 and executed over...
.
Description
It shows a young satyrSatyr
In Greek mythology, satyrs are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus — "satyresses" were a late invention of poets — that roamed the woods and mountains. In myths they are often associated with pipe-playing....
, identifiable from his clearly pointed ears and the pardalide (panther
Panthera
Panthera is a genus of the family Felidae , which contains four well-known living species: the tiger, the lion, the jaguar, and the leopard. The genus comprises about half of the Pantherinae subfamily, the big cats...
pelt) worn across his torso. He rests his right elbow on a tree trunk, in an unstable position, supported only on his left leg. His right leg is bent, with his right foot just touching his left heel. In a number of examples a restorer has added an attribute held in his right hand, often a flute or Pan pipes, while the left hand is on the left hip holding down the pelt. The facial features are well defined and the nose slightly upturned. His heavy hair, recalling the iconography of river gods, is held by a cord or a crown.
Attribution
The Resting Satyr is traditionally identified as the "satyr periboêtos" mentioned by Pliny the ElderPliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
in his Natural History XXXIV, 69:
- "[Praxiteles produced in bronze] a Liber Pater, and a famous Drunkard, and a satyr that the Greeks call periboêtos
Since Winckelmann this word has traditionally been translated as "famous". This celebrity explains the large number of examples of this type, one of the most popular in the Mediterranean - just under 115 have been found, including 15 from Rome, 4 from North Africa, 8 from Greece, two from Spain and one from Gaul.