Who painted Arcadian Landscape with a Satyr Family?

Arcadian Landscape with a Satyr Family was painted by Carl Wilhelm Kolbe in 1759.

Where can I see Arcadian Landscape with a Satyr Family?

Arcadian Landscape with a Satyr Family is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Arcadian Landscape with a Satyr Family?

Arcadian Landscape with a Satyr Family is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Arcadian Landscape with a Satyr Family

Carl Wilhelm Kolbe , 1759

Arcadian Landscape with a Satyr Family is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Carl Wilhelm Kolbe. It dates from 1759 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Carl Wilhelm Kolbe’s 1759 etching, titled Arcadian Landscape with a Satyr Family, presents a quiet natural setting rendered on wove paper. The composition balances foliage, water, and a small group of figures, inviting the viewer into a pastoral scene that blends human and mythological elements.

Subject & Meaning

In the foreground a woman and a child stand at the edge of a stream, while a satyr appears farther back, linking the idyllic countryside with classical mythology. The juxtaposition suggests a harmonious coexistence of civilized life and the untamed, echoing the idealized vision of Arcadia.

Technique & Style

Kolbe employed the etching medium to achieve a nuanced tonal range, using fine lines and cross‑hatching to model trees, foliage, and water. The careful shading creates depth, while the crisp delineation of the figures conveys expressive faces within the tranquil setting.

History & Provenance

Created in 1759, the print reflects the mid‑18th‑century interest in pastoral and mythological subjects. It remains an example of Kolbe’s printmaking practice, documented in collections that focus on German etchings of the period.