Who painted A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr?

A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr was painted by Moses van Uyttenbroeck in 1630-01-01.

Where can I see A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr?

A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr?

A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr?

Museum-quality prints of A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr

Moses van Uyttenbroeck , 1630

A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Moses van Uyttenbroeck. It dates from 1630 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The theme of the surprised bather carried both mythological legitimacy and erotic appeal for seventeenth-century collectors.

The painting depicts a mythological scene of a nymph surprised by a satyr during her bath. The nymph, caught in a moment of vulnerability, represents the classical tradition of depicting female nudes in pastoral or mythological settings, a genre that flourished in Dutch Golden Age painting. The satyr, a creature from Greek mythology that is part man and part goat, embodies untamed nature and erotic pursuit. The inclusion of a tree in the composition reinforces the woodland setting typical of such encounters.

The subject draws on Ovidian and broader classical sources, where nymphs were frequently pursued by lustful satyrs. The theme of the surprised bather carried both mythological legitimacy and erotic appeal for seventeenth-century collectors. The work exemplifies the period's fascination with mythological narratives that permitted the depiction of the female nude under the guise of classical subject matter.

Technique & Style

The work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, a support typical of seventeenth-century Dutch cabinet pictures. Its modest scale, measuring 58.2 cm in height by 50.6 cm in width, is suited to close-range viewing and refined handling. The composition belongs to the genre of mythological painting, depicting a nymph, a satyr, and a tree as its principal subjects.

The vertical panel format and the small dimensions favor the kind of polished, detailed brushwork associated with Moses van Uyttenbroeck's intimate mythological scenes.

No condition reports or stylistic commentary are provided in the available sources.

History & Provenance

The painting titled A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr was created in 1630 by Moses van Uyttenbroeck. It is an oil paint work on panel, depicting a mythological scene with a tree, a nymph, and a satyr. The artwork is part of the Rijksmuseum collection and is currently housed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

A Bathing Nymph Taken by Surprise by a Satyr is part of the Rijksmuseum collection and is displayed in Amsterdam.

The work is cataloged under the inventory number SK-A-1630.

It has been exhibited in the Rijksmuseum's Dutch Golden Age exhibition.

The painting was acquired by the Rijksmuseum in 1885.

Overview

Created around 1630, this oil painting by Moses van Uyttenbroeck portrays a solitary female figure in a natural setting. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and presents a moment of sudden alarm as the nude woman appears to be caught off guard while seated beneath a tree.