Triumphal Procession of Bacchus
1580
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1580
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Triumphal Procession of Bacchus is a 1580 ink by Jonas Silber, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a round, busy drawing filled with tiny, swirling figures and patterns. The outer edge is packed with people, animals, and strange shapes tangled together. Inside, there’s a big empty circle, like a spotlight on nothing. The lines are dark and precise, with lots of tiny dots and hatching to add shadow. The artist used a sharp tool to carve into the metal plate before inking it—this is called *engraving*. The details are so packed that it feels like a crowded party frozen in time. Next, check out engraving to see how artists like this made prints before photography.
