The Triumph Of Bacchus

Giorgio Vasari almost can not be found in the collections of Russian museums. Why instead of a direct answer, Yes or no, we used the questionable word "almost"? Because the Vasari, there is, apparently, not quite Vasari. The Hermitage "the betrothal of St. Catherine" previously attributed to another artist, then attributevalues Vasari, a later authorship was again questioned. "Madonna and child with John the Baptist" never claimed to be original, it's a good copy. Destiny "Triumph Of Bacchus" even besslavno: from the Hermitage in 1885, the year the painting was sent to the periphery, literally "in the village, to the aunt, in the wilderness, in Saratov". In the Saratov state art Museum named after Radishcheva it is stored. The wording for the expulsion of the paintings from the Hermitage was this: "questionable original".

Drawing by Vasari, color – apprentices?

However, even unconfirmed hand Vasari does not take work of historical value. First, the picture is perfectly preserved for four centuries she practically tugged restoration, and it demonstrates the high quality of the work is available only master titled and wealthy artists, as was Vasari. Second-a wonderful carved gilded frame of the "Triumph of Bacchus" decorated with heads of rams and grape clusters, not only harmonizes perfectly with the picture (also a sign of quality), but, according to expert opinion, established simultaneously with the picture in the 60-70-ies of the XVI century (1, 2). Third, in one of the rooms of the Louvre is stored original drawing by Vasari under the name "Orgy" remarkable for accuracy and capriciousness lines and partially inherited in the "Triumph of Bacchus". It is known that Vasari, successfully made a name for himself at the throat swamped with orders, often drew the picture, and the execution of the paintings, being fairly indifferent to the complexities of color, trusted the artists of his workshop.

What is an Orgy and who do we see in the painting?

Orgy – known since antiquity festival tilled the fields, harvested the grapes, the glorification of the fertility God Bacchus. Under the cover of night, the Orgy had the character of orgiastic and mystic wine and the blood of tortured animals flowed like a river, and covered by a sacred frenzy with cries of mingled ecstasy.

Vasari takes the traditional characters bacchanalian. In the center is placed the boy Bacchus. Around him are dancing maenads and satyrs. The teacher of Bacchus, Silenus drunk and collapsed to the ground. As usual, he shows a fat bloated old man with wine Cup.

"Triumph of Bacchus" and beauty line

What is remarkable in a fairly traditional interpretation of the mayhem in this picture – so it's dynamics are intertwined. If we have a closer look at how restless, quirky and nervously smeyatsa line of human bodies, then with surprise and admiration, we note that these lines are nothing more than a meandering vine.

Author: Anna Yesterday