The satyr stripping or ogling a sleeping nymph was very common in ancient Greek and Roman art and reemerged as a major theme in Italian Renaissance art in the late 15th century. At times, the satyr was left out as the male viewer was already well ensconced in that role outside the painting. Later artists all the way through Picasso and Matisse produced hundreds of variations on this theme, mostly set in arcadian landscapes to naturalize "feminine" beauty, sexuality, fertility, and male aggression. Seen in these more modern terms, it might be better to say these erotic landscapes naturalized masculine ideas and prejudices.
