Bacchus and Maiden 1747 - 1785

Giovanni Battista Cipriani made this drawing, "Bacchus and Maiden," sometime between 1766 and 1839 using pen and brown ink with watercolor over graphite. It shows Bacchus, the god of wine, with a maiden. The artwork offers a window into the cultural values of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. During this time, the prevailing artistic conventions often idealized figures drawn from classical mythology. Bacchus, with his association to freedom, ecstasy, and the blurring of boundaries, was a popular subject. However, these depictions often came at a cost, reinforcing the unequal power dynamics of gender and class of the period. The maiden's positioning within the composition highlights the era’s complex negotiations of power and desire. Cipriani challenges us to reflect on how these narratives reflect societal norms, while inviting us to consider how the themes of pleasure and liberation resonate on a personal level.