Collaborative aesthetic guide
B.I.S. Erasmus+project / International working group: 13
Satyr playing the flute
Fact sheet:
Title: Satyr playing the flute
Artist: Jacob Jordaens
Technique: Oil on panel
Period: Baroque
Style: Baroque
Description of the artwork
Satyr playing the flute
There is a fat man in the middle of the painting. He is a satyr who is playing the flute. The satyr is naked and he sits in a beautiful forest among the animals. The artist of the painting uses dark red tons for the skin of the satyr. He has grey hair, a brown beard, two horns on his head, big ears. The animals are goats and they are placed on the right side and the trees on the left side of the painting. One of the goats (the one that looks a bit like the man) is watching the man while the other is eating. Behind there is a mountain, there is also a little stream going through the background near he trees on th left and in the air there are thick clouds. The painting is made up of a bright center and darer surroundings, the satyr is the bright center of the painting although he looks very sad.
Analysing beauty canons
Satyr playing the flute
1.-Gender: Male
2.-Body size / complexion: fat and big
3.-Height of the character: tall
4.-Body proportion: harmonic
5.-Age: old
6.-Hair colour: grey
7.-Hair style: messy
8.-Skin colour: dark
9.-Clothing: naked
10.-Somatotype: Endomorph
The satyr playing the flute represented by Jacob Jordaens is from Baroque. He doesn't respect the beauty canon, in fact he is old, fat, ugly and he has wrinkled skin and hairy legs. He is sitting very sadly, he might be playing the flute to remove his pains.
Beauty canon of Baroque with Postmodern Beauty (c. 2000s - Today)
The beauty canon of this painting, that belongs to the baroque period, diverges a lot from the aesthetic requirements for a man in the 2000s who should be skinny, young and fit.