Two Women Resting and Two Satyrs Dancing c. 1700 - 1715

Claude Gillot’s ink drawing presents us with ‘Two Women Resting and Two Satyrs Dancing’. At first glance, the nymphs suggest classical repose, while the satyrs embody wild revelry, motifs familiar from ancient bacchanals. Yet, consider the satyr itself, a figure that has morphed through the ages. Originally, in Greek art, they were depicted as more bestial, a raw embodiment of instinct. Here, Gillot softens them, aligning with a later Renaissance interpretation, framing them as whimsical beings, embodying a controlled pastoral energy. This taming mirrors a broader cultural shift. The untamed id, as Freud might suggest, is channelled, made palatable. We see this evolution echoed across art history: from the grotesque masks of ancient theatre to the playful putti of baroque paintings. The satyr becomes a conduit, a recurring dream of humanity's dual nature, forever oscillating between restraint and release.