Michelangelo, Bacchus, 1496-7, Flashcards
Q: What is the subject of Michelangelo’s Bacchus and what inspired it?
A: The sculpture depicts Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.
Inspiration comes from Pliny the Elder’s Natural History, which describes a lost bronze by Praxiteles depicting “Bacchus, Drunkenness, and a Satyr.”
date
Bacchus, 1496-7
location
Bargello Museum (Florence)
measurement
203 cm
Q: Describe the key elements of Bacchus’ subject matter.
A: Bacchus holds grapes and a goblet, symbolizing wine, while struggling to balance them. A satyr stands behind him eating fallen grapes, and Bacchus holds a tiger skin, one of his attributes
Q: How is the drunken state of Bacchus represented?
A: Through contrapposto and a teetering pose, he appears off-balance. His rolling eyes and leaning body emphasize intoxication, creating a sense of instability and sensuality.
Q: What is unique about Bacchus’ physical representation?
A: The semi-idealized nude has plump flesh, creating an androgynous quality. Vasari noted the combination of “the slenderness of a young man” and “the roundness of a woman.”
vasari critical quote on the androgony of bacchus
Vasari noted the combination of “the slenderness of a young man” and “the roundness of a woman.”
Q: How does the detail in Bacchus’ hair contribute to the sculpture?
A: The ivy wreath in his hair, sacred to Bacchus, adds a divine attribute and displays detailed craftsmanship. Drill marks are visible, emphasizing Michelangelo’s early technique.
Q: What was Michelangelo’s context when he sculpted Bacchus?
A: Michelangelo moved to Rome at 21 after Lorenzo de’ Medici’s death. Rome offered opportunities to study and work with all’antica sculptures.
Q: Who commissioned Bacchus, and why was it rejected?
A: Commissioned by Cardinal Raffaele Riario, it was rejected possibly due to its androgyny or failure to meet classical ideals. It was later purchased by Jacopo Galli.
why did cardinal riario commission this peice
who intended for it to complement his collection of classical sculpture
showed humanist interest in calssical antiquity and learning amongst wealthy patrons
Q: How does Bacchus reflect Renaissance humanism?
A: The mythological subject and naturalistic depiction of Bacchus align with humanist ideals, emphasizing both divine and human traits, as well as the dignity of man.
Q: How does Neoplatonism influence Bacchus?
A: Charles Carman links Bacchus’ drunkenness to Neoplatonic “divine madness,” suggesting spiritual ascension through intoxication. Pico della Mirandola also saw drunkenness as a pathway to divine understanding.
Q: How does Bacchus balance pagan and Christian ideas?
A: Michelangelo reconciles pagan myth with Christian Neoplatonic thought, reflecting Jacopo Galli’s connections to a circle of Christian Neoplatonists.
Q: What material was used for Bacchus, and why is it significant?
A: Tuscan Carrara marble, known for its quality and association with classical sculpture, aligns the work with Renaissance ideals.
Q: How does Michelangelo’s technique emphasize Bacchus’ instability?
A: Extreme contrapposto and a lifted foot create a precarious balance. The tree stump and satyr act as stabilizing counterweights.
Q: What are key textural details in the sculpture?
A: Varied textures contrast the rough tree stump with Bacchus’ polished, sensuous skin. Drill marks in hair and eyes highlight Michelangelo’s early technique.
Q: What were the motives for Bacchus’ patronage?
A: Commissioned for Cardinal Riario’s garden of antiquities, it aimed to complement his classical sculpture collection. Rejected, it was later placed in Jacopo Galli’s garden.
Q: How did later damage and restoration affect Bacchus?
A: By the 1530s, it lost the goblet hand and penis. Only the goblet was restored, possibly to enhance its antique appearance when displayed among Roman fragments.
Q: How was Bacchus viewed by contemporaries and later critics?
A: Percy Shelley criticized it as “drunken, brutal, and narrow-minded.” Johannes Wilde described it as “not the image of a god,” reflecting a shift in aesthetic values.
Q: How does Bacchus reflect classical influences?
A: It adapts the Apollo Belvedere’s contrapposto and proportions while drawing on descriptions of Praxiteles’ lost works. However, its androgyny deviates from classical ideals
Q: Why was Bacchus’ reception mixed in its classical context?
A: Its deviation from strict classical forms and the inclusion of exaggerated drunkenness may have alienated audiences expecting idealized divinity.
Q: How does Bacchus foreshadow Michelangelo’s later works?
A: The precarious balance and detailed anatomy anticipate David. The exploration of emotional instability and humanity continues in his later sculptures.
