Beeld van een slapende faun 1697 - 1739

Louis Desplaces's "Beeld van een slapende faun" is a 17th-century etching of a sleeping faun. The faun, a creature of the Roman countryside that is half human and half goat, is depicted reclining on a rocky ledge in a lush forest setting. This piece was based on an antique marble sculpture housed in the Barberini Palace, as detailed in the inscription beneath the faun. Its detailed anatomical features and emphasis on naturalism, evident in the faun's muscular physique and the verdant surroundings, are characteristic of the baroque style. This etching likely served as a study for artists and collectors interested in the Classical tradition.