Bacchus: The Ancient Roman God Of Wine, Ecstasy

Bacchus the ancient roman god of wine, ecstasy and madness has evoked countless poems, sculptures and paintings that range in their depiction of him. As the god of wine, he can be depicted as an enticing young man, luring you into a realm of wine and lustful adventures with effeminate features, short curly black hair, plumb rosy cheeks, and an air of ease. He is drawn with alluring eyes full of promises of nightly escapades and a devious smile on his lips. While this side of Bacchus can be captivating there is a sense of danger but it is the delicate balance between danger and excitement that adds to his appeal. Yet, in other depictions of Bacchus he is portrayed as the god of madness. This madness defers from that of ecstasy and lust and transcends …show more content…
As typical of Caravaggio, “Bacchus” is cloaked in darkness with only the central figure covered in light. In the painting the central figure is Bacchus. He is sitting on a recliner and is holding a glass of wine. His arm is slightly outstretched as is offering the viewer a sip of his drink. The level of detail etched into the painting aids in the final perception of the painting. In the glass of wine that is being offered there are rings in the wine almost as if it has just been poured. There are also little bubbles present at the top of the wine jug as if it too had just been set down on the table after pouring a drink. Thus, the painting Is like a snapshot of the moment right after the young man would have poured the drink and is extending his arm to offer it to you. In addition, at the bottom left of the painting there is a bowl of fruit. The colors of the fruits make it difficult to figure out their freshness as the color range is very narrow with it only ranging from dark red to green. However, the use of dark colors for the fruits make it appear lush and rich. Adding to the image of lushness are the leaves and vines adorning Bacchus’s head. The use of the vines is one of the major signs of this being Bacchus as vines were a classical symbol for Bacchus. Classically Bacchus is considered a young god and in this painting Bacchus is young. He has effeminate features with his plumb rounded cheeks, delicate nose, and his