Poor Mr Silenus is in his cups again. He was the tutor of Dionysus, god of wine and fertility, so it's hardly surprising. The Satyrs hung out with him so tended to look after Silenus as well, especially when he's had one too many. I can't help but smile when I see this painting in the National Gallery, the poor old man having to be helped home by the naughty satyrs - he'll have a sore head in the morning, I just know it.
The painting has a strange history, for years being attributed to Rubens, then to his pupil van Dyck, and now seems to be attributed to Rubens' studio but with the figures painted by the young van Dyck and the fruit being painted by another assistant, Frans Snijders. We'll probably never know the detail of who did the painting or who did what in the painting but it always amazes me that a pupil could be so good that his work is virtually indistinguishable from his master's work. Rubens was one of the early superstar artists who was in demand all over Europe so that can only have been good for the young van Dyck.
Look at the different flesh tones in the painting, the very pale nymph squeezing grass into Silenus's mouth, the ruddy outdoors satyr, the bloated cheeks of the pipe player and the vast expanse of the body of Mr Silenus who seems to have forgotten his clothes somewhere along the way. And look at Silenus's face, ruddy cheeks and nose, drunken smile and part-closed eyes, not very aware of what's going on but knowing he's enjoyed himself. That's how an old man can easily get into trouble - be warned!
It looks like they're just leaving the dark forest into the morning light after a night of carousing. Maybe it was a special feast or ceremony that just continued long past the scheduled curfew? We'll never know. I assume the satyrs looked after him and he got home safely. He's probably still nursing his head after that night out...
The painting has a strange history, for years being attributed to Rubens, then to his pupil van Dyck, and now seems to be attributed to Rubens' studio but with the figures painted by the young van Dyck and the fruit being painted by another assistant, Frans Snijders. We'll probably never know the detail of who did the painting or who did what in the painting but it always amazes me that a pupil could be so good that his work is virtually indistinguishable from his master's work. Rubens was one of the early superstar artists who was in demand all over Europe so that can only have been good for the young van Dyck.
Look at the different flesh tones in the painting, the very pale nymph squeezing grass into Silenus's mouth, the ruddy outdoors satyr, the bloated cheeks of the pipe player and the vast expanse of the body of Mr Silenus who seems to have forgotten his clothes somewhere along the way. And look at Silenus's face, ruddy cheeks and nose, drunken smile and part-closed eyes, not very aware of what's going on but knowing he's enjoyed himself. That's how an old man can easily get into trouble - be warned!
It looks like they're just leaving the dark forest into the morning light after a night of carousing. Maybe it was a special feast or ceremony that just continued long past the scheduled curfew? We'll never know. I assume the satyrs looked after him and he got home safely. He's probably still nursing his head after that night out...
No comments:
Post a Comment