Nymphs adorning the sleeping Bacchus with wreaths
1770
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1770
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This painting shows three figures in a wooded scene. On the left, a man sits on the ground holding a sleeping child. To the right, a woman in flowing robes kneels, offering a wreath. The background is dark and leafy, with branches framing the group. The title says these figures are nymphs dressing a sleeping Bacchus, a mythological character. The soft, shaded faces and flowing drapery suggest a dreamy, romantic mood. Next, look up Romanticism to see how this style shaped art in the 1700s.
