Oil On Canvas - “concert Champêtre” - Northern Manierist School - Gilded Frame - Early 17th Century

Pastoral Concert: A Satyr Playing the Pan Flute and a Nymph Playing the Mandolin


Northern Mannerist School, early 17th century

Oil on re-stretched canvas, set in a gilded frame.

This mythological painting, depicting a rare subject, exemplifies the final flowering of Mannerism. The rendering of the skin tones, the refined color palette, and the theatricality of the composition link the work to the circle of Northern artists who worked in Prague at the court of Emperor Rudolf II, in the tradition of Hans von Aachen and Bartholomeus Spranger. The style evokes neither Italy nor Flanders.

Blending a romantic theme with bucolic charm, the scene is an original poetic creation, inspired by ancient literature: in the heart of a dark grove, a satyr plays the syrinx beside a languid nymph who is tuning her mandolin. The contrast between the luminous complexion of the female figure and the deep brown background lends the composition a striking presence.