Standing Nude Man (Bacchus) 1600

Bartholomeus Spranger’s sanguine drawing presents a robust male nude, identified as Bacchus, the god of wine. The use of red chalk gives the figure a warm, animated presence, with the hatching lines creating volume and depth. Note how the exaggerated musculature and contorted pose are characteristic of the Mannerist style, a deliberate departure from the classical harmony of the Renaissance. Spranger manipulates the body's proportions to create a sense of dynamism and tension. The figure's serpentine twist, known as figura serpentinata, is a Mannerist hallmark, designed to showcase the artist's virtuosity in depicting complex forms. Spranger’s Bacchus embodies a shift away from idealized beauty towards a more expressive and stylized representation of the human form. This approach destabilizes established classical norms, inviting viewers to reconsider traditional values of balance and proportion. The drawing functions not just as an aesthetic exercise but as a cultural statement, reflecting the changing artistic and philosophical landscape of the late 16th century.