Figure Group of Bacchus and Ariadne
Orléans Porcelain Factory
c. 1759
Medium
soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions
25.4 × 18.8 × 16.9 cm
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Decorative Art and Design
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of A. & R. Ball
Accession Number
1946.221
About this artwork
Porcelain figurines decorated the tabletops and living spaces of wealthy Europeans. Though seen in three-dimensions, their inspiration was often drawn from two-dimensional print sources. Swathed in flowers, this figure group depicts Cretan princess Ariadne pouring a drink for the Roman god of wine, Bacchus. Their pose and surrounding scenery was based on an etching by French engraver Jacques Philippe le Bas.