Pan And Syrinx
1743
François Boucher, a master of the playful Rococo style, depicts the mythological chase of Pan and Syrinx with characteristic sensuality. The nymph Syrinx reclines dreamily in the arms of a river god, while the horned Pan peers through the tall reeds with a look of shocked discovery. This scene captures the moment just before Syrinx transforms into reeds to escape Pan's advances—a story that explains the origin of the pan flute. Boucher, who was the favorite painter of Madame de Pompadour, uses soft lighting and lush textures to make the myth feel like a luxurious daydream.
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