Antieke buste van een faun 1678

Etienne Baudet made this print of an antique bust of a faun, using etching. The print is a copy of a marble sculpture, and it offers a fascinating glimpse into the cultural values of 17th-century France. Prints like these played a crucial role in disseminating knowledge about classical art. This print presents us with a faun, a mythical creature associated with wild nature, revelry, and untamed sexuality. During the 17th century, a renewed interest in classical antiquity emerged. Aristocrats and scholars sought to emulate the aesthetic ideals and philosophical principles of ancient Greece and Rome. Prints, circulating widely and relatively inexpensively, provided access to art that would otherwise only be available to view for the privileged few who could travel widely and access aristocratic collections. As art historians, we can research the provenance of the original sculpture, study the artist's biography, and analyze the social networks in which this print circulated. Each of those steps helps us better understand the historical context that shaped its meaning.