Geboorte van saters 1705 - 1771

Balthasar Sigmund Setletzky created this print, "Birth of the Satyrs," in the 18th century. It depicts a scene from classical mythology, a world populated by hybrid creatures, part human and part animal. We can think of the image as a product of its time. The 1700s was a period when intellectuals, artists, and political leaders looked back to ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration. They hoped to find models for governments, legal systems, and artistic creations. Yet the classical world was also one of slavery, empire, and pagan religion. The satyrs in Setletzky's print, with their association to unrestrained revelry, represent a morally ambiguous aspect of the classical past. For us, the image speaks to the complex relationship between the 18th century and the ancient world. The historian's task is to unearth the meanings and associations that this image would have held for its original viewers. Through careful study of period texts and historical context, we can better understand the place of art within culture.