Birth of Bacchus; Banquet of Bacchus and Ariadne
early 19th century
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-3080
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Felice Giani (1758–1823), an Italian artist of the Neoclassical period, created *Birth of Bacchus; of Bacchus and Ari* in the early 19th. Known for his elegant frescoes and decorative works inspired by ancient and Pompeian art, Giani often drew from classical mythology to evoke grandeur and harmony. This piece, classified among figural works in the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection, captures two pivotal moments in the life of Bacchus (the Roman god of wine, equivalent to Greek Dionysus): his miraculous birth from Zeus's thigh and his joyous banquet with Ariadne, the Cretan princess he...