Satyrs and Nymphs; verso: partial counterproof of Heintz's "Studies for the Flight into Egypt" in The Courtauld Gallery, London
ca. 1599
Medium
Brush and black ink, red chalk, gray and sanguine washes, heightened with white gouache, over black chalk and graphite underdrawing, incised, on off-white paper prepared with yellow wash, laid down to another sheet of laid paper; verso of secondary support: partial offset of a drawing in black and red chalk
Dimensions
Sheet: 9 1/4 x 12 5/8 in. (23.5 x 32 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, 2006 Benefit Fund, 2007
Accession Number
2007.174
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing by Joseph Heintz the Elder captures a lively mythological scene of satyrs and nymphs, figures drawn from classical antiquity that remained popular in European art at the turn of the seventeenth century. Created around 1599, the work reflects the period’s fascination with pastoral and bacchic themes, where playful encounters between woodland deities and nymphs offered artists opportunities to explore movement, expression, and the natural world. Heintz demonstrates remarkable technical virtuosity through his layered approach: brush and black ink combined with red chalk, gray and sanguine washes, and white gouache highlights over underdrawing. The paper, prepared with a yellow wash, lends a warm, luminous tone that enhances the figures’ vitality. Incised lines suggest the sheet may have been used in the transfer process, underscoring its role within a larger workshop practice. Of particular interest is the verso, which preserves a partial counterproof of Heintz’s “Studies for the Flight into Egypt,” now in the Courtauld Gallery. This double-sided sheet thus connects two seemingly unrelated subjects, offering visitors a glimpse into the artist’s working methods and the fluid exchange of ideas across his oeuvre.