Bacchus and Ariadne, c. 1780
Guiseppe Boschiexpand_more
Bronzeexpand_more
The William Hood Dunwoody Fundexpand_more 63.44
On View in Gallery 317expand_more
Italian sculptor Giuseppe Boschi based this work on the restored remains of an ancient sculpture, then kept at Marbury Hall in England but now in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The Roman god Bacchus, ruler of wine and the harvest, made the mortal woman Ariadne an immortal when he married her. It is possible that this sculpture presents the couple during a moment of post-marital bliss. However, it is also likely that Bacchus is shown with one of his female attendants, a bacchante. The crown of vines and fur pelt mantle (neither preserved in the antique sculpture fragments) associate her with the wilderness—a link that clashes with Ariadne’s story. Enlightenment artists well-versed in classical mythology could complicate or entirely reconfigure subject matter with subtle alterations in form.
Details
- Title
- Bacchus and Ariadne
- Artist Life
- (Rome), 1760-after 1821
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 63.44
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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