Sculptuur van Bacchus naar Michelangelo in het Museo Nazionale te Florence, Italië 1857 - 1900

This photograph by Fratelli Alinari captures Michelangelo's sculpture of Bacchus at the Museo Nazionale in Florence. The sepia tones and the figure’s pose create a contemplative atmosphere. The composition focuses on the statue’s spiral dynamic, drawing the eye from the base, up along Bacchus's body, to the cup he raises. The treatment of light and shadow enhances the tactile quality of the marble, emphasizing the contrast between the smooth skin and rough-hewn base. The statue itself embodies a tension between classical ideals and a departure from them. The contrapposto stance, a staple of classical sculpture, is present but subverted by Bacchus's swaying form and unfocused gaze. This introduces a sense of instability, destabilizing the established stoic values typically associated with classical figures. Ultimately, the photograph's formal qualities invite us to consider how the themes of classical tradition, sensuality, and the subversion of ideals intersect within Michelangelo’s work, captured here through Alinari's lens.