Satyrs Bringing Animals to an Altar
1626
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1626
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Satyrs Bringing Animals to an Altar is a 1626 ink by Pierre Brebiette, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a wild crowd of half-human, half-goat figures. Some hold up animals—goats and a cow—while others play instruments or wave branches. Trees and a rocky altar sit in the background. The scene looks chaotic but orderly, like a party gone slightly off-track. Notice how the artist used sharp lines to show every muscle and fold of cloth. The paper has a textured look, too—it’s not smooth like paint. Want to see more like this? Look up etching to learn how artists carve into metal plates.
