Bacchus 1497

Michelangelo's "Bacchus" is a marble sculpture from 1497 that embodies the Renaissance spirit of humanism and classical revival. The sculpture depicts the Roman god of wine and revelry, Bacchus, in a state of relaxed intoxication, holding a goblet in one hand and a bunch of grapes in the other. A playful satyr, a creature symbolic of wild nature and Dionysian revelry, clings to Bacchus' leg, adding to the dynamic composition. The life-size sculpture exemplifies Michelangelo's early mastery of anatomy and his ability to capture movement and emotion in stone. The "Bacchus" is a testament to the artist's genius and a masterpiece of High Renaissance sculpture.