Ovaal met in het midden een vrouw en onderin twee saters c. 1571 - 1623

This is Johann Israel de Bry’s "Ovaal met in het midden een vrouw en onderin twee saters," made in the late 16th or early 17th century. During this time, the cultural and social position of women was often depicted through mythological or allegorical figures. Here, we see a nude woman centered within an oval frame, flanked by flora and fauna. Below her are two satyrs, those hybrid creatures of man and beast, cavorting around a vase. The composition suggests a narrative deeply rooted in classical mythology, yet it also reflects the period’s attitudes toward gender and sexuality. The woman's nudity, combined with her central placement above the satyrs, might be interpreted as an assertion of feminine power. Simultaneously, her representation adheres to established ideals of beauty and virtue, thereby navigating the complex intersections of desire, morality, and representation inherent in the visual culture of the time. The artwork invites us to consider how bodies—particularly women’s bodies—become sites of cultural meaning.