Satyr with Panther

The satyr is characterized as such by his pointed ears and short tail. Wearing only an animal hide, he has settled down on a grapevine and is greedily pulling a branch heavily laden with grapes toward his mouth. In the group’s original function as a fountain, water cascaded from the fruits, which would have constituted a large part of the composition’s aesthetic effect. Between the satyr’s legs, a panther stretches up its wideopen mouth, wanting to share in this sensuous treat. Both the subject and the composition of this Satyr with Panther group are highly unusual. Neither in the sculpture of the modern era nor in that of classical antiquity is there any piece that could have served as an inspiration for this agile, upward-reaching composition, or indeed for this charming combination of a folkloric creature and a wild animal.