Faun and Nymphs n.d.

Raymond de Lafage created this drawing, Faun and Nymphs, in pen and brown ink, sometime in the late 17th century. It depicts a scene lifted from classical mythology. Here, Lafage offers us a Bacchanalian revelry, a mix of human and non-human figures in a state of ecstasy. Lafage lived and worked under the reign of Louis XIV in France, and his work reflects the values of the French court and the Academy. We can interpret the drawing’s subject matter as a reflection of the values of the monarchy, which used classical imagery to self-aggrandize. While mythological subjects were common, Lafage's portrayal of raw, untamed nature, with human figures consorting with half-animal creatures, also hints at an interest in the primitive. Historical research, into the royal academy, as well as consideration of the artist's patrons, can help to flesh out our understanding of this drawing, and the meaning of art in its own time.