Nymphs Suprised
ca. 1640
Medium
Brush and brown and gray ink, brown and gray washes over red chalk and traces of black chalk, some blue chalk.
Dimensions
7 15/16 x 10 11/16 in. (20.2 x 27.2 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.830
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the lively tradition of Flemish Baroque art, Jacob Jordaens a moment of mythological surprise in *Nymphs Surprised* (ca. 1640). Jordaens, a prominent painter and contemporary of Rubens Van Dyck, specialized in exuberant scenes of gods, nymphs, and, blending sensuality with dynamic energy. This drawing depicts startled nymphs—graceful female figures often symbolizing nature's purity and allure—frozen in a burst of movement, their nude forms twisting amid foliage. Created during Jordaens' mature career, it reflects the era's fascination with classical antiquity revived through Northern Europe...