Bas Relief with Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne n.d.

Leandro Ricci made this drawing, "Bas Relief with Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne," with pen and brown ink, and graphite on cream laid paper. Here, the artist renders the Roman festivities honoring Bacchus, the god of wine, fertility, and theatre. We see not only the drunken revelry of Bacchic celebrations, but also the capture of Ariadne by Bacchus. Abandoned on the island of Naxos by Theseus, Ariadne is rescued, and in some versions of the myth, married by Bacchus. Ricci, through the bas relief, portrays not a rescue but a triumphant capture. The drawing revives classical imagery, reminiscent of ancient Roman friezes. Ricci situates the viewer as a voyeur of a male fantasy of conquest. Consider how gender roles are performed within the classical stories. The piece may spark reflection on how we interpret love, abandonment, and the power dynamics that play out in classical narratives. It invites us to consider whose triumph is being celebrated, and at what cost.