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Hendrick van Balen the Elder and Follower of Jan Brueghel the Elder, 'Pan pursuing Syrinx', possibly after 1615

About the work

Overview

The god Pan pursues the virginal nymph Syrinx, who flails her arms as she teeters on the edge of the river Ladon, a frog escaping out of her path. She is moments from being transformed by river nymphs into reeds, in answer to her prayers to escape her unwanted suitor. Pan would later use these reeds to fashion his musical pipes.

The story of Pan and Syrinx is recounted by the Roman poet Ovid in Metamorphoses, a long verse narrative that retells ancient Greek and Roman legends. The figures were probably painted by the Flemish artist Hendrick van Balen the Elder and the landscape by an artist working in the style of Jan Brueghel the Elder, who specialised in painting landscapes and flowers. The composition was probably inspired by a print of the same subject by Hendrick Goltzius.

Key facts

Details

Full title
Pan pursuing Syrinx
Artist dates
1575? - 1632; 1568 - 1625
Date made
possibly after 1615
Medium and support
oil on copper
Dimensions
25 × 19.4 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought, 1860
Inventory number
NG659
Location
Room 27
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
17th-century Dutch Frame

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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