Talk:Bacchus (Caravaggio)

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Optics, not ominous ripples.
To whom it may concern,

I was reading through the article published on Caravaggio's "Bacchus" and came across what I believe to be a discrepancy. The text below is a quote from the article...

"The ripples on the surface of his wine look ominous: he will not be able to hold the pose much longer, and the artist had better hurry and finish the left hand."

I believe this passage to be misleading. The ripples are not in fact ripples, but an illusion caused by the vessel itself. When creating goblets in the Venician style a ribbed mold is often used to create an optical illusion. When blown into this mold and then twisted you get the effect of the ripples through the liquid in the vessel.

robflyz@gmail.com

Optic Molds

Glass from the mold being snipped and twisted.

Low Goblet


 * Interesting. I've never seen this mentioned in the Caravaggio literature. PiCo 12:45, 16 June 2007 (UTC) Later: Looking at the painting again - a reproduction in a book of course - it seems to me that the ripples really are in the wine and not the glass - but still an interesting idea. PiCo 12:48, 16 June 2007 (UTC)
 * I'm still uncertain. I think we should stick to the original. - Cyborg Ninja 22:02, 6 October 2007 (UTC)

I agree 100% with the comment by robflyz. I have studied the painting closely (in person), and the "ripples" are definitely due to the bowl having been blown into a patterned mold. Also, I know similar glasses of the period. (I was Curator of European Glass at the Corning Museum of Glass from 1973-1992 and Director from 1981-1992.)


 * I have removed the mention of "ripples" in view of these comments. The "ripples" is apparently from Peter Robb's "M" - I think Robb must be mistaken in this detail. PiCo (talk) 03:13, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Carafe's reflection
Are we sure the reflection in the glass is the painter, and not the subject himself? To me, it seems to be the latter. - Cyborg Ninja 22:02, 6 October 2007 (UTC)

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