Mask of Bacchus with a Wreath of Grape Leaves and Ribbon, from Divers Masques

Art Historical Context

Behold the intricate *Mask of Bacchus with a Wreath of Leaves and Ribbon*, a delicate etching from the series *Divers Mas* (Various Masks), created around 1635–45 by Frenchavers François Chauveau and Van Merlen. Measuring just 2 9/16 × 1 5/8 inches, this tiny print from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Drawings and Prints department captures the exuberant spirit of the Roman of wine, Bacchus (Dionysus to the Greeks), adorned with swirling grape leaves and a festive ribbon. Crafted during the Baroque era in France, when opulent ornamentation flourished in architecture and design, this work exemplifies the period's fascination with classical mythology and theatrical masks. Etching—a precise intaglio technique where acid etches lines into a metal plate—allowed artists like Chauveau, renowned for his illustrations of Molière's plays, to achieve fine, expressive details in small formats. These masks likely served as models for decorative elements in grand interiors, furniture, or costumes, blending artistry with practical ornament. Today, this piece invites us to revel in 17th-century whimsy, evoking bacchanalian revels amid the era's cultural splendor. Acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1945, it reminds visitors of etching's power to immortalize fleeting festivity in enduring lines.

About the Artist

François Chauveau|Jacques Van Merlen · 1613–1676

Comment on works: Miniature painter; History; Genre; Portraits