The Bacchanal of the Andrians

A celebration of drunkenness

Titian was commissioned to create this painting for Alfonso d’Este. This painting demonstrates the joy brought to the people from wine. Clearly, a wine glass is being held in the center of the painting to demonstrate the immense focus Titian places on alcohol. The painting also highlights the different stages of drunkenness because you can see people who are passed out, but also those who are still conscious. Another thing that I thought was quite interesting was the vast ages of those who are participating. In the foreground you can see a young child drinking among the men and women. The story behind this painting is that the islanders are awaiting the return of Bacchus and apparently there was a river of wine that ran through the island. This explains the reason for celebration and explains why alcohol is seen as a positive in this scenario.This painting contrasts the typical didactic and moralizing nature of other drunken paintings due to the fact that this painting seems to encourage the wine drinking. [1] It demonstrates the celebratory nature and points out the traits of human desire.

The vivid and varying colors used by Titian also seem to represent the joyous and happy nature in the scene. The colors contribute to the fun and carefree vibe presented in this work. [3] Titian was know to carefully balance each color with those alongside it to create a harmonious overall impression, which in this case gives a sense of calmness among the chaos. It was believed the wine had strong effects, with the power to make men dominant, rich, and extraordinarily handsome. [2] This gave wine an important role in Venetian society, and this scene is no exception.





[1] Fehl, P. (1996). Touchstones of Art and Art Criticism: Rubens and the Work of Franciscus Junius.

[2] Reid, Heather L. "PHILOSTRATUS'S "GYMNASTICUS": THE ETHICS OF AN ATHLETIC AESTHETIC."

[3] Zuffi, Stefano. Titian. Milan: Arnoldo mondadori arte, 1991.

Titian

Fehl, Philipp P. "Touchstones of Art and Art Criticism: Rubens and the Work of Franciscus Junius." Journal of Aesthetic Education 30, no. 2 (1996): 5-24. Accessed October 20, 2020. doi:10.2307/3333189.

Reid, Heather L. "PHILOSTRATUS'S "GYMNASTICUS": THE ETHICS OF AN ATHLETIC AESTHETIC." Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome 61 (2016): 77-90. Accessed October 20, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44988074.

Zuffi, Stefano. Titian. Milan: Arnoldo mondadori arte, 1991.

Image and original data provided by SCALA, Florence/ART RESOURCE, N.Y.

Titian. 1518. Bacchanal. painting. Place: Museo del Prado. https://library.artstor.org/asset/SCALA_ARCHIVES_10310195607.

1523-1525

Jared Kreis

(c) 2006, SCALA, Florence / ART RESOURCE, N.Y.

Oil on canvas, 175 x 193 cm

Painting

Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, Spain