Artwork
Pan and Syrinx
Pan and Syrinx is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Nicolas Poussin. It dates from 1637 and is held in the collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1637, this oil on canvas work by the French classicist Nicolas Poussin presents a scene drawn from classical mythology. The painting, titled “Pan and Syrinx,” is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden and exemplifies the artist’s interest in narrative composition and antiquarian subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The composition portrays the god Pan pursuing the nymph Syrinx, a moment taken from the Ovidian tale in which the nymph transforms into reeds to escape his advances. Poussin’s rendering emphasizes the tension between divine desire and human resistance, inviting contemplation of the interplay between nature and myth.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting displays Poussin’s characteristic clarity of form and balanced arrangement. The figures are rendered with restrained chiaroscuro, while the surrounding landscape is organized into harmonious planes, reflecting the artist’s adherence to classical ideals of proportion and order.
History & Provenance
After its completion in the early seventeenth century, the work entered various private collections before being acquired by the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, where it remains on public display. Its provenance traces a typical path for Poussin’s oeuvre, moving from aristocratic patrons to institutional holdings.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas Poussin (UK: , US: , French: ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was a leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome.
