I based this drawing and subsequent acrylic painting on a glowing masterpiece, “Nymphs and Satyr,” by William Bouguereau. Bouguereau’s painting has an interesting history: Apparently, the French Academy exhibited it in Paris to great acclaim in 1873, but the following year, it was pretty much ignored when the Impressionists came into vogue. At that point a visiting American ended up buying it and hanging it over a bar in New York City. Then, In 1901, some prudish person who didn’t like seeing nudes in bars purchased it and just stashed it out of sight in a warehouse. Fortunately, Sterling Clark rescued it for his museum where it has resided ever since. I think my own version of “Satyr and Nymphs” which you see here should actually be entitled “The Last Bachelor” because I wanted to make it look like all the nude girls are grabbing the satyr and taking him prisoner so they could cuddle and smother him. And unlike the original painting, I decided to give the Satyr an expression of panic, as if he’s thinking, “No, no, please, I really, REALLY don’t want to get married!” I gave this painting to my friend as a humorous wedding present.
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