Nymph and Satyr, Jan Baptist Xavery, 1729
ivory, h 20.5cm × w 5.5cm × d 4.5cm More details
At first sight, these two figures appear to be Classical nudes. However, the male figure’s mocking smile, short horns, pointed ears and tail betray the fact that he is a satyr. His companion is an elegant wood nymph. The satyr’s pipes and the nymph’s tambourine are references to music and dance, their favourite pastimes in the mythical, idyllic world of Arcadia.
