User:Spod010/Bacchus and Ariadne

A note on the edits:


 * edited text from the original posting is noted, the rest is original writing
 * the first image is from the original posting, while the other detailed images have been gathered from wiki commons media

Lead (edited original posting)
Bacchus and Ariadne (1522–1523) is an oil painting by Titian. Measuring 176.5 x 191 cm, It is one of a cycle of paintings on mythological subjects produced for Alfonso I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, for the Camerino d'Alabastro – a private room in his palazzo in Ferrara decorated with paintings based on classical texts. An advance payment was given to Raphael, who originally held the commission for the subject of a Triumph of Bacchus.

At the time of Raphael's death in 1520, only a preliminary drawing was completed. The commission was then handed to Titian, who in his rendition of the work actively tried to emulate and outdo Raphael. The subject matter of Bacchus and Ariadne, was derived from the depictions of the god of Wine and his bride from the Roman poets Catullus and Ovid.

The painting, considered one of Titian's greatest works, now hangs in the National Gallery in London. The other major paintings in the cycle are The Feast of the Gods, mostly by Giovanni Bellini, now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C, and Titian's The Bacchanal of the Andrians and The Worship of Venus, both now in the Museo del Prado, Madrid.

Painting Composition (New)
The painting visually centers the god Bacchus as he leans forward to the princess Ariadne. Both Bacchus and Ariadne are highlighted through the use of lighter shading and paints, which contrasts the pair from the shadowed figures behind the god. Ariadne is physically turning away for the wild scenes of the god and his followers. Her cloak in a vibrant blue, and crimson scarf falls from her shoulders, emphasizing the vulnerable state of Ariadne.

Bacchus is depicted as jumping from his chariot of leopards. These animals are sacred to the god, and he is often characterized as wearing leopard skins. Bacchus is accompanied by a group of ravaging Maenads and satyrs. The female worshiping maenads are emerging from the woods and worshiping the god Bacchus through the playing of music and dancing. The satyrs both young and old contribute to this frenzy while holding items related to the production and consumption of wine. The figure in the foreground of the chaos is the only anthropomorphic man in the followers of Bacchus. The man is running forward and wrapped in snakes. This figure is often associated with Laocoön and His Sons. A character in mythology who is known for his death by snakes. Titian would have been exposed to this story through the sculpture in Rome of snakes wrapping around Laocoon and his sons. Although this visually may have inspired Titian, it is unlikely that the figure is intentionally Laocoon.

Amongst the revelers are the half goat half man satyrs. These figures are common companions of the god Bacchus, and described as comic figures who assisted the god in the production of making wine. Within the composition, a drunken satyr can be seen leaning against a tree inn a crown of laurel leaves. As the eye moves forward through the revelers, another crowned satyr can be seen holding the leg of a dismembered animal and the thyrsus of Bacchus. This stick was a symbolic object used in rituals to display the connection of the god and his worship to the natural world. The final satyr, positioned closest to Ariadne and Bacchus is depicted as a young child, marching toward and inquisitive dog. The use of the spaniel dog was a common motif used in the work of Titian. King Charles Spaniels were common court dogs during the period of the paintings creation. Therefore Titian would often adorn his pieces with these dogs to appeal to his viewing audience. The final animalistic element in the foreground that can be seen is a dismembered head of an animal, the young satyr leads the parade of revelers towards Ariadne. Dispersed int he background amongst the male revelers, are the female worshipers of Bacchus, known as maenads. These women within the painting are depicting holding tambourines and drums. The dresses and clothing of these women droop off their shoulders to expose more of their chest. These women are noted as the only mortals in the image. The women, like the mythical men in the image appear to be emerging from the woods to the shore to greet the princess Ariadne.

The setting of the image emphasizes the distance of the events of the painting from the mortal civilized world. Off in the background, behind the cliffs, there is a subtle outline of a city and a civilization. Through the inclusion of this mortal city, there is a recognition of the world of the mortal world, yet this is a world that only few mortals have the ability to interact with. Elevated in the sky of the composition there are several stars peaking out from the clouds. The presence of stars as a mode of storytelling for the ancients, and their presence in this painting further affirm the ethereality and divine presence of the gods from the heavens. Off the cliffs, behind Ariadne the viewer can make out a peaceful sea. This is a further reference to the original story of the meeting of Bacchus and Ariadne. Ariadne was abandoned by King Theseus on his journey home to the city of Athens. Upon being left, Ariadne is found by the god Bacchus. Finally, the foreground of the image is adorned with wild grass and flowers. The use of wild imagery affirms the wild practices of the followers of Bacchus. As the reveling group makes their way toward the abandoned Ariadne, there is visible signs of uneven terrain and a broken path. Again the addition of these rough elements works to place the scenes of the painting in a location separate from the world of the mortal city.

Myth Background (New)
The meeting of Bacchus and Ariadne is commonly discussed in ancient mythology. Titian having been exposed to the Latin versions of this story would have been inspired by their treatment of the myth while depicting the scene through paint. In the Ars Amatoria and Heroides contain descriptions of the scene of Ariadne the Princess of Crete deserted on an island. After assisting the hero Theseus in escaping the labyrinth and minotaur on the island of Crete, the pair flee, only for Ariadne to be left by Theseus. The poems, while written at different point in the career in Ovid depict Ariadne as fearful of wild nature. This element is present in Titian's depiction of Ariadne builds on the sense of fear of Aridane of the wild nature, by turning the figure away from the rest of the composition. Although we do not get a full view of her expression, the viewer can see her raise her hand up to her face to shield herself from her surroundings. This is a scene which depicts the meeting of husband and wife, but Titian works to subvert the potential romanticism of the scene by incorporating elements of wild and chaos.

Another literary source which served as inspiration for the artist Titian was the poetry of Catullus. The poet often wrote describing themes of love and lust, and the poem known as Catullus 64, describes and explores the emotions behind the Bacchus and Ariadne myth. Using ekphrasis, Catullus describes an inanimate object which tells the story of Bacchus and Ariadne. From this poem, Titian emphasizes the teary eyed laments of the princess Ariadne, which was a major thematic concern for Catullus.

Commission (New)
This painting was originally commissioned as a piece within a collection of images depicting ancient figures and myths. Alfonso d'Este (21 July 1476 – 31 October 1534), a patron of the arts, sought masters of their craft to complete art pieces for his home. D'Este cultivated a relationship with the artist Giovanni Bellini, and tasked the artist with producing a series of paintings which featured figures from the works of Ovid in order to make the stories palatable to his Venetian audience. As a result, Bellini produced his final completed work, The Feast of the Gods which was later altered by the artist Titian, and Dosso Dossi. With the history and stylistic choices of Bellini looming over the creative practice, Titian stylistically differentiated his figures and work from that of Bellini. Although both artists use a rich color palate, Titian's pieces depicted moments of sudden and divine change, while Bellini chose to depict these moments of myth from a more contemplative stance. This specific image of Bacchus and Ariadne illuminates the dynamic and abrupt choices made by Titian. Titian and Bellini's pieces, which depicted similar subjects, would have been situationally in the same building upon their initial commissions, viewers of these works would have been able to visually compare and contrast the images. Therefore aesthetic decisions were essential in differentiating each piece as its own statement on the ancient tradition.

Restoration (Edited from Original Posting)
The canvas on which Bacchus and Ariadne is painted was rolled up twice in the first century of its existence, which had consequences for the painting. From the turn of the 19th century onwards it was restored to stop paint from flaking off. The most controversial restoration being that carried out at the National Gallery between 1967 and 1968. This greatly brightened the surface of the painting, and used to a heavy varnish finish, which altered the overall appearance of the painting. When discolored varnish lying directly on top of the paint surface was removed, some of the paint itself came off as well and repainting was necessary.

From these restorative efforts, critics to note that the expanse of blue sky on the left-hand side, appears flat and pallid. This area of the painting was heavily impacted by the initial damage to the painting. It has also been argued that the removal of the varnish has left the painting tonally out of balance, since Titian is likely to have added some subtle glazes to the paint surface in order to tone down some of the more jarring colors. The National Gallery maintains that this was an unavoidable loss, because the accrued layers of later varnish had turned the painting brown and sludgy and had to be removed. More recent examination has confirmed that the paint remains largely original.