Artwork
Bacchanal
Bacchanal is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Nicolas Poussin. It dates from 1624 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Figures gather in a wooded landscape, some playing musical instruments such as pipes and a natural trumpet, while others dance or recline in revelry.
The painting depicts a mythological bacchanal, a festive scene associated with the Roman god Bacchus. Figures gather in a wooded landscape, some playing musical instruments such as pipes and a natural trumpet, while others dance or recline in revelry. Classical motifs like garlands and a goat appear, reinforcing the ancient theme.
Poussin’s composition translates literary sources into visual form, emphasizing the ecstatic and sometimes disorderly nature of the celebration. The scene evokes the transformative power of wine and music, aligning with ancient descriptions of Bacchic rites as both joyous and chaotic.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas and measures 122 cm in height by 169 cm in width. The composition depicts a mythological scene centered on figures engaged in revelry, rendered with careful modeling of forms and subdued yet luminous coloring. Handling shows Poussin’s characteristic precision in drawing and structured arrangement of figures within a landscape setting, with attention to anatomical clarity and spatial recession.
The figures are arranged in a balanced, classical arrangement, reflecting Poussin’s early engagement with mythological themes and a restrained, ordered approach to narrative.
History & Provenance
Nicolas Poussin created the mythological painting Bacchanal in 1624. The work, executed in oil on canvas, depicts a scene involving a natural trumpet and measures 122 cm in height by 169 cm in width. Its ownership history traces through the Spanish royal collection, having been held successively by Philip V of Spain, Charles III of Spain, and Ferdinand VII of Spain. The painting is currently part of the collection at the Museo del Prado.
The painting Bacchanal by Nicolas Poussin is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The work is an oil on canvas measuring 122 cm in height and 169 cm in width. Historically, the piece was owned by the Spanish monarchs Charles III, Philip V, and Ferdinand VII before entering the museum's inventory.
The artwork, dated to 1624 or early 1625, depicts mythological subjects including a natural trumpet. No specific accession number or detailed exhibition history is provided in the available sources.
Overview
Bacchanal is a 1624 oil painting by Nicolas Poussin, held at the Museo del Prado. It depicts a lively, mythological scene.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas Poussin (UK: US: French:; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was a leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome.
