BACCUS
1729â37
Classification
Bound print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-224-9
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Claude Gillot, a prominent French artist (1673–1722), was a key figure in the transition from Baroque to Rococo styles, renowned for his lively depictions of mythology, theater, and festive scenes. Though Gillot passed away in 1722, *Baccus*—likely portraying the Roman god of wine in exuberant revelry—was produced posthumously between 1729 and 1737 as a bound print. This classification suggests it formed part of an illustrated volume or album, a common format for disseminating designs by masters like Gillot to a wider audience during the opulent 18th-century print market. Gillot's influence e...