Artwork
Bacchanal

Bacchanal is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Johannes van Dreght. It dates from 1797 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a mythological painting in the Rijksmuseum collection, it exemplifies 18th-century interpretations of mythological narratives through a neoclassical lens.
The painting depicts a mythological bacchanal, a scene of revelry associated with Dionysus. It is classified as a mythological work and was created in 1793 by Johannes van Dreght using oil on canvas. The composition shows figures engaged in festive activity, reflecting classical themes of ecstatic celebration.
The subject draws on Dionysian symbolism of wine, fertility, and uninhibited pleasure. As a mythological painting in the Rijksmuseum collection, it exemplifies 18th-century interpretations of mythological narratives through a neoclassical lens.
Technique & Style
Johannes van Dreght's Bacchanal, created in 1793, is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 96.5 cm in height and 140 cm in width. Classified as a mythological painting, the piece depicts a scene from classical mythology using the traditional oil medium of the period.
History & Provenance
The mythological painting titled Bacchanal was created in 1793 by the artist Johannes van Dreght. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 96.5 cm in height and 140 cm in width. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display.
No specific details regarding the original commission, early ownership history, or the circumstances of its creation beyond the year of execution are provided in the available records.
Bacchanal by Johannes van Dreght is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
The painting, an oil on canvas mythological work completed in 1793, is identified through its association with the museum's holdings.
No prior loans, display records, or curatorial installations are noted in the sourced material.
Context
Johannes van Dreght's 1793 oil painting Bacchanal resides in the Rijksmuseum collection and exemplifies Dutch mythological painting of the late 18th century. Its depiction of mythological revelry reflects the era's neoclassical fascination with classical narratives rendered with romantic dynamism. Contemporary scholarship notes its significance as part of van Dreght's brief but accomplished career within the Dutch school, positioned between earlier Dutch masters and the rising Romantic movement.
The work's composition and execution demonstrate technical mastery within the constraints of late Georgian oil painting practices, though it failed to achieve widespread contemporary fame, remaining notable primarily through modern museum holdings and targeted art historical study.
Overview
Johannes van Dreght, a Dutch decorative painter active in late‑18th‑century Amsterdam, completed the oil painting Bacbachal in 1797. Executed in the Rococo idiom, the work presents a mythological gathering rendered in a subdued palette of browns and beiges. It is part of the Rijksmuseum’s permanent collection and exemplifies the artist’s interest in festive, allegorical subjects.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Johannes van Dreght (11 November 1737, Amsterdam - 7 October 1807, Amsterdam) was a Dutch decorative painter; known for his work on fireplaces, carriages, yachts, sleds and fans.










