A Frieze of Dancing Antique Figures in a Bacchanal
1788–95
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brown wash
Dimensions
Sheet: 9 1/4 × 13 7/16 in. (23.5 × 34.1 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 2014
Accession Number
2014.784
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing by Swedish artist Jonas Akerström captures a lively procession of dancing figures inspired by ancient classical themes. Created between 1788 and 1795, the work depicts a bacchanal—a festive scene associated with the Roman Bacchus—featuring both male nudes and women in graceful, rhythmic motion. The horizontal format evokes the sculpted friezes of antiquity, transforming a dynamic celebration into a harmonious, linear composition. Executed in pen and brown ink with subtle brown wash, the medium allows Akerström to emphasize fluid contours and gentle shading that suggest m...