Satyr’s family 1886

Hans Thoma’s painting of a Satyr’s family is executed in oil on canvas, a material used since the early 15th century for its ability to blend pigments smoothly, and capture light in lustrous ways. Thoma’s Satyr’s Family is a painting that encapsulates the romanticized, pre-industrial lifestyle. Satyrs are creatures that are part human, part goat, often associated with wild, rustic landscapes. However, if we reflect on it, the artist relies on industrial means to make this image. Oil paint is processed from linseed and pigment that is derived from the earth. Canvas is woven in a factory. These materials have to be bought and sold. This idyll of the pre-industrial world is thus captured only through modern means. It’s fascinating to consider how the materials and process of painting, rooted in industry and commerce, shape the appearance and meaning of this work. It encourages us to appreciate that there is no pristine state of nature available to us, even in art.