Bacchanal Scene
n.d.
Medium
Pen and brown ink, with brush and brown wash, on ivory laid paper, laid down on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
27.4 × 20.3 cm (10 13/16 × 8 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
80993
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints Drawings collection, *Bacchanal Scene* visitors into a lively tableau of mythological revelry. Created by an unknown artist and undated, this drawing captures the exuberant chaos of a Bacchanal—a festive gathering honoring Bacchus, the Roman god of wine—filled with figures in ecstatic motion, a timeless motif in Western art symbolizing indulgence, joy, and the Dionysian spirit. Executed in pen and brown ink with brush and brown wash on ivory paper (27.4 × 20.3 cm), the work showcases masterful techniques of the draftman's craft. The precise lin...