Who painted Pan and Syrinx?

Pan and Syrinx was painted by Hendrik Goltzius in 1589.

Where can I see Pan and Syrinx?

Pan and Syrinx is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Pan and Syrinx?

Pan and Syrinx is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Pan and Syrinx

Hendrik Goltzius , 1589

Pan and Syrinx is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hendrik Goltzius. It dates from 1589 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. This early modern print, executed in the workshop of Hendrick Goltzius, presents a dynamic mythological chase.

About this work

Overview

This early modern print, executed in the workshop of Hendrick Goltzius, presents a dynamic mythological chase. Rendered on laid paper, the engraving captures the moment Pan pursues the nymph Syrinx amid a thicket of reeds, freezing the tension of the pursuit in a single, tightly composed scene.

Subject & Meaning

The composition draws on the Ovidian tale in which the satyr god Pan, driven by desire, follows the fleeing nymph Syrinx. As she escapes, she is transformed into reeds, a metamorphosis that the image hints at through the surrounding vegetation and the figures’ gestures, underscoring themes of unrequited longing and metamorphosis.

Technique & Style

The print relies on dense cross‑hatching, a hallmark of Goltzius’s workshop, to model form and generate atmospheric depth. Fine, intersecting lines build the musculature of Pan, the texture of Syrinx’s hair, and the crispness of the reed stalks, creating a tactile sense of space and movement within the flat medium of engraving.

History & Provenance

Created in the late 16th century, the work reflects the flourishing print culture of the Dutch Republic. It was produced under Goltzius’s direction, whose workshop supplied a range of mythological subjects to collectors across Europe. Surviving copies are held in several major museum collections, attesting to its wide distribution during the period.

Artist & collection

Artist

Hendrik Goltzius

Hendrick Goltzius (German: , Dutch: ; né Goltz; January or February 1558 – 1 January 1617) was a German-born Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter.