Bacchus and Ariadne 1740 - 1785

Jean Hughes Taraval created this drawing of Bacchus and Ariadne with black chalk and stumping on laid paper. Notice the figures are arranged in a classical composition of reclining nudes and satyrs from mythology; with the god Bacchus and Ariadne lounging in the center. Yet, the loose handling of the chalk, especially in the background, suggests a study, not a finished piece. Taraval destabilizes the high finish expected in academic art. The tonal range is subdued, with light and shadow massed rather than precisely delineated. This recalls Baroque artists like Peter Paul Rubens, who often employed a similar dynamic approach to preparatory sketches. The drawing emphasizes the performative aspect of artmaking itself. Taraval isn’t just depicting a scene; he is also revealing his own process of exploring form and composition through the very act of drawing.