The Satyr and the Peasant or The Satyr and the Peasant Family is the title commonly given to a number of paintings executed by the Flemish Baroque painter Jacob Jordaens and his workshop based on the fable of the Satyr and the Peasant from Aesop's Fables. Jordaens returned regularly to this subject from his earliest active years until his mature period around 1650. In his treatment of the subject, he combines two of the painting genres in which he excelled: mythological painting and the peasant genre. His various interpretations of the subject and the many repetitions of these works by his workshop and followers popularized the theme which was then taken up by Flemish and Dutch painters such as Jan Cossiers and Jan Steen.[1]
In an illustrated version of the fable published in London in 1874 with illustrations by Ernest Griset the story is told as follows: A satyr ranging in the forest in winter, came across a traveller half starved with the cold. He took pity on him and invited him to go to his cave. On their way the man kept blowing upon his fingers. “Why do you do that?” said the satyr, who had seen little of the world. “To warm my hands, they are nearly frozen,” replied the man. Arrived at the cave, the satyr poured out a mess of smoking pottage and laid it before the traveller, who at once commenced blowing at it with all his might. “What, blowing again!” cried the satyr. “Is it not hot enough?” “Yes, faith,” answered the man, “it is hot enough in all conscience, and that is just the reason why I blow at it.” “Be off with you!” said she Satyr, in alarm; "I will have no part with a man who can blow hot and cold from the same mouth."[2]
The expression "to blow hot and cold" is derived from this fable. It means "to behave inconsistently; to vacillate or to waver, as between extremes of opinion or emotion."[3] The meaning of the fable was further explained in Thomas Bewick's selection of Aesop fables of 1818: "The satyr declares he cannot trust a man who blows hot (to warm his hands) and cold (to cool his food) with the same breath. Nothing can be more offensive to a man of a sincere honest heart, than he who blows with different breaths from the same mouth: who flatters a man to his face, and reviles him behind his back. Such double-dealing false friends ought and will always be considered as unworthy of being treated otherwise than as worthless and disagreeable persons."[4]
Early Modern treatments of the fableedit
The peasant and the satyr by Marcus Gheeraerts
Aesop's Fables were printed and reprinted in many illustrated editions throughout Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries.[1] The first illustrated version in the Dutch language was published in 1567 in Bruges by Pieter de Clerck under the title De warachtighe fabulen der dieren (The true fables of the animals). Edewaerd de Dene had written the text in the local Flemish variant of Dutch and Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder had made 107 illustrations for the fables. The book contained the story of the "Landtsman ende satyre" ('The peasant and the satyr') with an illustration showing the satyr and the peasant sitting at a table outside the satyr's lean-to shed.[5][6]
In Netherlandish culture, the fable of "the Satyr and the Peasant” became quite popular. In 1617 the Dutch Catholic poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel put rhymes to the fable in his Vorstelijke Warande der dieren (The Princely Pleasure-Grounds of Animals) for which he used the older illustration made by Marcus Gheeraerts. In his rendering of the story, Vondel has the satyr flee in fear of his life, for 'The Wise man always shows love and goodwill, towards him that holds fire in one hand and water in the other, in order to avoid his evil sorcery'.”[1]
Jordaens's treatment of the fableedit
It is believed that Jordaens produced a dozen versions of the fable in various mediums.[1] There is still debate among art historians as to which of these works are completely autograph, partially made with the assistance of Jordaens' workshop or entirely made by his workshop. There is also discussion about the chronology of the works. Some historians have suggested that the small vertical version in Glasgow, dated to circa 1616 was the earliest treatment of the subject while others have proposed the version in the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, dated to circa 1620, to be the earliest, followed not long thereafter by the versions in Göteborg and Brussels.[7][8] A version sold as lot 51 at Sotheby's New York City auction of 24 January 2008 has been proposed as Jordaens' second version of the subject after the Glasgow version. In this version, Jordaens used his wife and their first born, Elizabeth, who had been baptized on 26 June 1617, as models for the mother and child.[9] A somewhat different version in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich is traditionally dated to roughly the same time period.[10]
All of Jordaens' interpretations represent the denouement of the fable where the satyr reacts to the peasant blowing on his`soup. The Glasgow version shows the satyr ready to take off in fear, which reflects the story as told by Vondel. While the Glasgow and Kassel versions place the scene in an outdoors setting with rudimentary furnishings, the 1620 Brussels and Göteborg versions place the scene in a domestic setting in the peasant's home. The figure of the satyr changes in the various versions as he becomes greyer and heavier. He also changes from being fearful to showing a smile on his face as if he is reacting to the events in a philosophical manner. This reflects a tendency among Antwerp humanists to draw a parallel between the oldest satyr Silenus and the Ancient philosopher Socrates. Writings from Antiquity already described Silenus as someone who could impart Wisdom. Socrates was regarded by Antwerp humanists as the epitome of wisdom who had conveyed his learning through mundane examples. There was also a contrast between Socrates' ugly physical appearance and his internal wisdom. The combination of high purpose and low style is typical for much of Jordaens' entire artistic output and is in particular obvious in the Satyr and Peasant compositions. This combination has been referred to as the serio-comical style. The smiling satyr in Jordaens' the Satyr and the Peasant does not condemn the peasant's behaviour but shows a philosophical and comical ambivalence about it.[1]
^ abcdeKimberlee Cloutier Blazzard, "The Wise Man has two tongues: Images of the Satyr and the Peasant in Jordaens and Steen", in Myth in History, History in Myth, Brill, Boston, 2009, pp. 87-115
^Aesop's Fables, Rev. and rewritten by J.B. Rundell, London, New York : Cassell Petter and Galpin 1869, pp. 201-202
^Thomas Bewick, The Fables of Æsop, and Others With Designs on Wood Newcastle, printed by E. Walker, for T. Bewick and son, sold by the, Longman and Co. London, an all bookseller, 1818
^Margot Thybaut, Marcus Gheeraerts de oude een monografie, Master thesis, University of Ghent, Faculteit Letteren en Wijsbegeerte, vakgroep Kunst-, Muziek- en Theaterwetenschappen, voor het verkrijgen van de graad van Master, Promotor: prof. dr. Maximiliaan P.J. Martens (in Dutch)
^Jacob Jordaens, The Satyr and the Peasant at Christie's New York auction of 1 May 2019 lot 36
^"Satyr and Peasant by JORDAENS, Jacob". wga.hu. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
^Jacob Jordaens, The Satyr and the Peasant Family at Sotheby's New York auction of 24 January 2008 lot 51
^d'Hulst, R.A: «Jordaens, Jacob» The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford University Press, 2001. Grove Art Online.
External linksedit
Media related to The Satyr and the Peasant by Jacob Jordaens at Wikimedia Commons
January 01, 1970
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The Satyr and the Peasant or The Satyr and the Peasant Family is the title commonly given to a number of paintings executed by the Flemish Baroque painter Jacob Jordaens and his workshop based on the fable of the Satyr and the Peasant from Aesop s Fables Jordaens returned regularly to this subject from his earliest active years until his mature period around 1650 In his treatment of the subject he combines two of the painting genres in which he excelled mythological painting and the peasant genre His various interpretations of the subject and the many repetitions of these works by his workshop and followers popularized the theme which was then taken up by Flemish and Dutch painters such as Jan Cossiers and Jan Steen 1 The Satyr and the Peasant c 1650 at Christie s Contents 1 The story background 2 Early Modern treatments of the fable 3 Jordaens s treatment of the fable 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksThe story background editIn an illustrated version of the fable published in London in 1874 with illustrations by Ernest Griset the story is told as follows A satyr ranging in the forest in winter came across a traveller half starved with the cold He took pity on him and invited him to go to his cave On their way the man kept blowing upon his fingers Why do you do that said the satyr who had seen little of the world To warm my hands they are nearly frozen replied the man Arrived at the cave the satyr poured out a mess of smoking pottage and laid it before the traveller who at once commenced blowing at it with all his might What blowing again cried the satyr Is it not hot enough Yes faith answered the man it is hot enough in all conscience and that is just the reason why I blow at it Be off with you said she Satyr in alarm I will have no part with a man who can blow hot and cold from the same mouth 2 The expression to blow hot and cold is derived from this fable It means to behave inconsistently to vacillate or to waver as between extremes of opinion or emotion 3 The meaning of the fable was further explained in Thomas Bewick s selection of Aesop fables of 1818 The satyr declares he cannot trust a man who blows hot to warm his hands and cold to cool his food with the same breath Nothing can be more offensive to a man of a sincere honest heart than he who blows with different breaths from the same mouth who flatters a man to his face and reviles him behind his back Such double dealing false friends ought and will always be considered as unworthy of being treated otherwise than as worthless and disagreeable persons 4 Early Modern treatments of the fable edit nbsp The peasant and the satyr by Marcus Gheeraerts Aesop s Fables were printed and reprinted in many illustrated editions throughout Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries 1 The first illustrated version in the Dutch language was published in 1567 in Bruges by Pieter de Clerck under the title De warachtighe fabulen der dieren The true fables of the animals Edewaerd de Dene had written the text in the local Flemish variant of Dutch and Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder had made 107 illustrations for the fables The book contained the story of the Landtsman ende satyre The peasant and the satyr with an illustration showing the satyr and the peasant sitting at a table outside the satyr s lean to shed 5 6 In Netherlandish culture the fable of the Satyr and the Peasant became quite popular In 1617 the Dutch Catholic poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel put rhymes to the fable in his Vorstelijke Warande der dieren The Princely Pleasure Grounds of Animals for which he used the older illustration made by Marcus Gheeraerts In his rendering of the story Vondel has the satyr flee in fear of his life for The Wise man always shows love and goodwill towards him that holds fire in one hand and water in the other in order to avoid his evil sorcery 1 Jordaens s treatment of the fable editIt is believed that Jordaens produced a dozen versions of the fable in various mediums 1 There is still debate among art historians as to which of these works are completely autograph partially made with the assistance of Jordaens workshop or entirely made by his workshop There is also discussion about the chronology of the works Some historians have suggested that the small vertical version in Glasgow dated to circa 1616 was the earliest treatment of the subject while others have proposed the version in the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel dated to circa 1620 to be the earliest followed not long thereafter by the versions in Goteborg and Brussels 7 8 A version sold as lot 51 at Sotheby s New York City auction of 24 January 2008 has been proposed as Jordaens second version of the subject after the Glasgow version In this version Jordaens used his wife and their first born Elizabeth who had been baptized on 26 June 1617 as models for the mother and child 9 A somewhat different version in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich is traditionally dated to roughly the same time period 10 All of Jordaens interpretations represent the denouement of the fable where the satyr reacts to the peasant blowing on his soup The Glasgow version shows the satyr ready to take off in fear which reflects the story as told by Vondel While the Glasgow and Kassel versions place the scene in an outdoors setting with rudimentary furnishings the 1620 Brussels and Goteborg versions place the scene in a domestic setting in the peasant s home The figure of the satyr changes in the various versions as he becomes greyer and heavier He also changes from being fearful to showing a smile on his face as if he is reacting to the events in a philosophical manner This reflects a tendency among Antwerp humanists to draw a parallel between the oldest satyr Silenus and the Ancient philosopher Socrates Writings from Antiquity already described Silenus as someone who could impart Wisdom Socrates was regarded by Antwerp humanists as the epitome of wisdom who had conveyed his learning through mundane examples There was also a contrast between Socrates ugly physical appearance and his internal wisdom The combination of high purpose and low style is typical for much of Jordaens entire artistic output and is in particular obvious in the Satyr and Peasant compositions This combination has been referred to as the serio comical style The smiling satyr in Jordaens the Satyr and the Peasant does not condemn the peasant s behaviour but shows a philosophical and comical ambivalence about it 1 Gallery editPrincipal versions nbsp c 1616 Glasgow Museums Resource Centre nbsp c 1620 Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel nbsp c 1620 Sotheby s New York 24 January 2008 lot 51 nbsp 1620 Pushkin Museum Moscow nbsp c 1620 Gothenburg Museum of Art nbsp c 1620 Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium Brussels nbsp 1620s Czartoryski Museum Krakow nbsp 1620 1621 Alte Pinakothek Munich nbsp c 1625 Museum of Fine Arts Budapest nbsp c 1640 45 Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium BrusselsReferences edit a b c d e Kimberlee Cloutier Blazzard The Wise Man has two tongues Images of the Satyr and the Peasant in Jordaens and Steen in Myth in History History in Myth Brill Boston 2009 pp 87 115 Aesop s Fables Rev and rewritten by J B Rundell London New York Cassell Petter and Galpin 1869 pp 201 202 blow hot and cold in Wiktionary Thomas Bewick The Fables of AEsop and Others With Designs on Wood Newcastle printed by E Walker for T Bewick and son sold by the Longman and Co London an all bookseller 1818 Margot Thybaut Marcus Gheeraerts de oude een monografie Master thesis University of Ghent Faculteit Letteren en Wijsbegeerte vakgroep Kunst Muziek en Theaterwetenschappen voor het verkrijgen van de graad van Master Promotor prof dr Maximiliaan P J Martens in Dutch Marcus Geerarts biography Archived 19 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine in Schilder boeck 1604 by Karel van Mander Jacob Jordaens The Satyr and the Peasant at Christie s New York auction of 1 May 2019 lot 36 Satyr and Peasant by JORDAENS Jacob wga hu Retrieved 2018 07 20 Jacob Jordaens The Satyr and the Peasant Family at Sotheby s New York auction of 24 January 2008 lot 51 d Hulst R A Jordaens Jacob The Oxford Companion to Western Art Ed Hugh Brigstocke Oxford University Press 2001 Grove Art Online External links edit nbsp Media related to The Satyr and the Peasant by Jacob Jordaens at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Satyr and the Peasant Jordaens amp oldid 1217815669, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
