Bacchus Carried by Two Satyrs
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
2 3/8 x 3 1/2 in. (6.0 x 8.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.97.78
Tags
Art Historical Context
This small but lively engraving captures the Roman god Bacchus, deity of wine and revelry, being carried by two satyrs—half-human, half-goat companions from classical mythology. Created in 1528 by Agostino Veneziano (also known as Agostino dei Musi), an Italian printmaker active during the High Renaissance, the work reflects the period’s renewed fascination with ancient myths. Artists of the time often turned to Bacchic themes to explore themes of pleasure, nature, and the senses. As an engraving, the medium allowed Veneziano to reproduce intricate details with remarkable precision on a modes...