Unveiling Correggio’s Venus with a Satyr Restricted; Files Only

Abstract

In the early years of the sixteenth century, Antonio Allegri da Correggio engaged in a significant reimagining of mythological subject matter. One pivotal piece in this exploration is the artwork titled Venus and Cupid with Satyr. This painting occupies a central position in Correggio's experiments with mythological subjects and has not ceased to spark debates among scholars who struggle to determine whether the scene depicted is the story of Jupiter and Antiope or Venus being observed by a satyr. In this paper, I explore the ambiguity inherent to the two main figures in Correggio’s picture: the satyr and the nymph. I argue not only for the importance of an alternative approach that considers the ambiguous nature of these figures as central to understanding Correggio’s purposes in producing them, but also for the idea that the satyr, the only actively gazing figure in the picture, bears the traces of Leonardo’s art theory which circulated in Emilia Romagna and permeated both visual and literary production in the first half of the sixteenth century. 

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Correggio’s Venus with a Satyr 2

The Satyr 10

Venus, Ariadne, and the Sleeping Nymph 14

On the Sense of Sight 23

Conclusion 28

Bibliography 31

Illustrations 35

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Art History
Degree	Ph.D.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Art History
Keyword	Correggio
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Melion, Walter , Emory University
Committee Members	McPhee, Sarah , Emory University Varner, Eric , Emory University

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