Les Bacchantes Endormies (The Sleeping Bacchantes)
Medium
Etching and engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 21 5/8 x 15 11/16 in. (55 x 39.9 cm) Plate: 19 5/8 x 14 13/16 in. (49.8 x 37.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1947
Accession Number
47.100.484
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the opulent world of 18th-century French Roc art, *Les Bacchantes Endies* (The Sleepingchantes), created in 1764, a moment of serene abandon. Engraver René Gaillard faithfully reproduced François Boucher's original painting, depicting the mythical followers of Bacchus—the Roman god of wine peaceful slumber. Boucher's signature style shines through: soft, voluptuous forms draped in flowing fabrics, evoking sensuality and classical reverie amid hints of revelry's aftermath. This etching and engraving, measuring nearly 20 by 15 inches on the plate, exemplifies the era's printmaking prowess. G...
About the Artist
René Gaillard|François Boucher (French|French) · 1714 |1703 –1790 |1770
French, ca. 1719–1790 Paris|French, Paris 1703–1770 Paris