Bronzen beeld van de saturnaliën van Ernesto Biondi before 1901

This is a photographic reproduction of Ernesto Biondi's bronze sculpture, depicting a scene from the Roman Saturnalia. These winter festivals were a time of wild abandon and social upheaval, during which enslaved people were granted temporary freedom. Biondi, an Italian sculptor, evokes these themes through the composition. The figures are grouped informally, suggesting the social disorder that characterized the festival. The choice of bronze, a medium associated with classical sculpture, reinforces the historical context. This sculpture would have been made in Italy and would have spoken to the fin-de-siècle fascination with the ancient world. Historians consider the cultural moment to understand the artwork’s meaning. Researching the reception of Biondi's work, exhibition history, and social attitudes towards the ancient world, reveals much about the cultural values of the time, allowing us to view this work as a reflection of its own society.