The Satyr and the Peasant (Jordaens)

Arrived at the cave, the satyr poured out a mess of smoking pottage and laid it before the traveller, who at once commenced blowing at it with all his might.

Edewaerd de Dene had written the text in the local Flemish variant of Dutch and Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder had made 107 illustrations for the fables.

In 1617 the Dutch Catholic poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel put rhymes to the fable in his Vorstelijke Warande der dieren (The Princely Pleasure-Grounds of Animals) for which he used the older illustration made by Marcus Gheeraerts.

In his rendering of the story, Vondel has the satyr flee in fear of his life, for 'The Wise man always shows love and goodwill, towards him that holds fire in one hand and water in the other, in order to avoid his evil sorcery'.”[1] It is believed that Jordaens produced a dozen versions of the fable in various mediums.

[10] All of Jordaens' interpretations represent the denouement of the fable where the satyr reacts to the peasant blowing on his`soup.

The Glasgow version shows the satyr ready to take off in fear, which reflects the story as told by Vondel.

This reflects a tendency among Antwerp humanists to draw a parallel between the oldest satyr Silenus and the Ancient philosopher Socrates.

The combination of high purpose and low style is typical for much of Jordaens' entire artistic output and is in particular obvious in the Satyr and Peasant compositions.