Sater als kariatide 1676

Richard Collin created this print, "Sater als kariatide," sometime in the 17th century. During this time, the Dutch Republic was a major center for printmaking, and artists often drew on classical mythology and imagery. Here, Collin presents a satyr, a creature from Greek mythology, known for its association with revelry and the wild. But instead of showing the satyr in a drunken dance, Collin depicts him in a moment of forced labor. The term "cariatide" in the title references a structural support in the form of a sculpted female figure. But Collin’s satyr is a subversion of this ideal, showing the figure in a state of tension. The satyr’s body is both idealized and animalistic, highlighting the uneasy balance between the human and non-human. He embodies the weight of expectations and the burden of societal roles. Collin’s print invites us to consider the complex ways in which power, identity, and representation intersect.