Frieze of Satyrs Wearing Lion Skins and Playing Pipes
n.d.
Medium
Pen and brown ink on tan laid paper, laid down on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
11.2 × 26 cm (4 7/16 × 10 1/4 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
85153
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Step into the lively world of Renaissance mythology with Lambert Lombard's *Frieze of Satyrs Wearing Lion Skins and Playing Pipes*, a captivating pen and brown ink drawing from the 16th century. Created by the Netherlandish artist Lambert Lombard (ca. 1505–1566), known for his masterful draughtsmanship and Romanist style—inspired by Italian Renaissance masters like Raphael—this horizontal frieze depicts a procession of playful satyrs. These half-human, half-goat creatures from classical Greek lore don dramatic lion skins and blow on pipes, evoking the wild revelry of Dionysian festivities. Lombard, based in Liège, bridged Northern European art with Mediterranean antiquity, often exploring mythological themes in intricate drawings like this one (11.2 × 26 cm). The frieze format hints at its potential use in decorative schemes or as a study for larger works, showcasing his fascination with dynamic group compositions and classical narratives during a time when humanism revived ancient stories across Europe. Executed in precise pen lines on tan laid paper (later laid down for preservation on ivory laid paper), the medium highlights Lombard's skill in achieving texture and movement through ink alone—no color needed to convey the satyrs' exuberant energy. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, this undated gem offers a window into the Renaissance revival of pagan joy and artistic virtuosity.
About the Artist
Lambert Lombard · 1506–1566
Flemish painter and architect. Comment on works: Religious