The popular Royal Copenhagen porcelain figurines of fauns are of great importance to many collectors all over the world. A faun is characterized by being a mix of human and animal with a human torso and a very hairy lower body. Therefore they are also called trolls by some.
Royal Copenhagen has also produced a series of small charming trolls, which together depict a dear family.
Fauns are creatures from classical mythology. They descend from the god Faunus and are therefore called Fauni in latin. They are the latin equivalent of the Greek satyrs and Faunus is the equivalent of the Greek god Pan. Usually the fauns and satyrs are depicted as half human half goat with a human upper body with horns and pointy ears, while the lower body is that of a goat. This physical depiction has carried over into the depiction of the devil.
Pan and Faunus are usually depicted as pastoral and forest deities with their children the fauns and satyrs likewise being creatures of wild and untamed regions. They are not necessarily hostile to humans, but can both help or be a threat depending on the situation. In many ways they are similar to trolls of northern mythology, who can also be ambiguous towards humans. Most commonly the fauns are associated with shepherds.
The fauns are depicted as being lovers of women, wine and music and are thus related with Dionysus and Bacchus. They are often shown roaming the wild while playing instruments, the Pan flute being the most common instrument associated with them. Fauns are almost always male and they are often set in relation to the nymphs and dryads, whom they hunt or dance with.
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