Bestrafter Übermuth 

Hans Zatzka created this oil on canvas painting, entitled 'Bestrafter Übermuth', with no date specified. The painting immerses us in a world of lush overgrowth, where a nymph-like figure confronts a cupid beside a stone fountain. The composition divides into distinct registers: the lower plane with the woman is heavy, while the cupid is positioned on top, and behind both figures a sculpture of a Satyr. The woman directs our attention to the cupid, who shields his eyes from the water spurting out from the satyr fountain, an archaic symbol of wildness and fertility. The cupid's vulnerability highlights his loss of control. Through its classical allusions, the piece seems to ask: can love truly be tamed or does it simply succumb to the wildness of human nature? Ultimately, the painting's enduring appeal lies in its ability to provoke contemplation on the nature of love and control through an accessible pictorial language.