A Faun and His Family with a Slain Lion

Lucas Cranach the Elder drew from both native German and classical literary sources to depict a family of fauns in a woodland clearing. Although the precise subject of this painting remains obscure, it recalls the legendary "wild man" found in medieval mythology, as well as idyllic forest dwellers, such as fauns, described in Greek poetry.

The male faun sits on a rock, staff in hand, with a slain lion at his feet. He gazes toward a woman--presumably his wife--and their children. Dark foliage mediates between them and a stunning landscape: a lake, a village, mountains, and a castle in the distance. Isolated and protected from civilization, these figures represent the wild traits of mankind. On the other hand, the faun's humanlike appearance, the woman's calm demeanor, and the baby's tender gesture suggest more civilized aspects of society.

Aside from this broader narrative, Cranach's finely worked style draws attention to incidental elements, such as the lion's fur and a man and a horse and cart climbing the castle-topped mountain. The lion's stylized body fits perfectly in the painting's lower left corner. Such attention to detail and Cranach's complex subject matter appealed to the refined tastes of his learned, courtly patrons.