Artwork
Bacchanal with Silenus
Bacchanal with Silenus is a print by the Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna. It dates from 1481 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Bacchanal with Silenus is a print conceived by Andrea Mantegna, likely as a companion piece to Bacchanal with a Wine Vat.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a scene possibly inspired by the Roman poet Virgil, showing Silenus, Bacchus's teacher, being roused from drunkenness by satyrs and a maenad to sing and enable dancing.
Technique & Style
Mantegna employs chiaroscuro, using contrasts of light and shadow to create a sense of depth and volume in the figures.
Artist & collection
Artist
Andrea Mantegna (UK: , US: ; Italian: ; c. 1431 – September 13, 1506) was an Italian Renaissance painter, a student of Roman archaeology, and the son-in-law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna…
