The drunken Silenus c. 1618 - 1625

Peter Paul Reubens painted ‘The Drunken Silenus’ in the early 17th century. It depicts the tutor of Bacchus surrounded by revellers. In the 17th century, the display of art was changing. No longer the preserve of the church, art began to adorn the houses of the wealthy. ‘The Drunken Silenus’ and other paintings of its type demonstrate the shift in art consumption at the time. Classical subjects such as this, which drew on what were seen as key stories from the ancient world, were especially popular. But here, Rubens isn’t afraid to inject a little humour. He subverts the classical ideal of the male nude. The painting is boisterous and playful and would have been sure to impress guests. To understand the context of a painting like this, we might look at inventories of the collections of wealthy families at the time. These show us what paintings were popular and how they were displayed.