Satyresses and satyr children 1776 - 1786

This sculpture called 'Satyresses and satyr children' was created by Clodion, also known as Claude Michel, who was active in France in the late 1700s. This piece revives the artistic styles of ancient Greece and Rome, known as Neoclassicism. It presents mythological figures with an emphasis on classical ideals. These are the satyrs and satyresses, creatures that are half-human and half-goat. The subject is treated with lightness, and an airy grace of form. It evokes the idea of Arcadian innocence and earthly delights. Clodion's work reflects a broader cultural trend in pre-Revolutionary France. There was a taste among the aristocracy for representations of carefree pleasure and pastoral simplicity. As an art historian, it's important to understand the social and political context in which this art was made. By consulting historical archives, we can better understand how this sculpture and others like it, served as both an escape from and perhaps a commentary on the social structures of its time.