Artwork
Zwei Bacchantinnen
Zwei Bacchantinnen is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Eugen Felix. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Eugen Felix’s 1874 oil on canvas, titled *Zwei Bacchantinnen*, is part of the collection of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum. The work presents two nude female figures in a dimly lit interior, surrounded by symbolic objects that suggest a mythological or ritual context.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a standing woman with her right arm lifted overhead, while a seated companion reaches upward with her left hand, creating a gesture of contact. A goat appears behind the standing figure and a leopard skin lies at the feet of the seated one, elements traditionally linked to Bacchic rites and the cult of Dionysus, underscoring themes of sensuality and ecstatic celebration.
Technique & Style
Felix employs a palette that juxtaposes warm flesh tones and the tawny leopard pelt against a deep, muted background, enhancing the figures’ three‑dimensionality. The brushwork balances smooth modeling of the bodies with more textured treatment of the surrounding objects, while chiaroscuro effects give the scene a quiet, intimate atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Created in 1874, the painting entered the holdings of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s 19th‑century interest in works that explore classical mythology through a realist lens, and it continues to be cited in studies of Felix’s relatively limited oeuvre.
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