Bacchus at the winepress 

Editor: This ink drawing, "Bacchus at the winepress," by Bertel Thorvaldsen, currently held at the Städel Museum, has a rough, almost unfinished quality. It gives the impression of movement and industry, even with its limited detail. What can you tell me about the process, the "making" of the work and it's historical context? Curator: What strikes me first is the seeming classical theme rendered with a distinct interest in labor. We see Bacchus, but notably alongside the physical act of winemaking. Consider the material itself—ink—a readily available, democratic medium. How does the accessibility of the medium, ink on paper, affect the narrative versus, say, marble sculpture typical of classical themes? Editor: So you're saying that the choice of ink democratizes the subject? Curator: Exactly. The mass production of paper and ink enabled wider participation in artistic production and consumption, shifting away from exclusive, monumental art accessible only to the elite. The medium challenges that classical idealism with everyday reality. In fact, let’s think about the role of the Städel Museum. How does it mediate access to this artwork? Editor: That’s a great point, bringing a wider public into contact with classical art, making it far more available for study and admiration, even in just a drawing. I see a blending of ancient myth and modern production. Thank you. Curator: It is the interplay of materials, process, and social access that ultimately brings us a renewed, and very material, understanding of antiquity itself.