“Bacchanal” oil on canvas from the 17th century. In good condition, the painting has been cleaned and re-tinted in the 1990s, small colour fades
The Bacchanal (Latin: Bacchanalia) was a Roman festival with a propitiatory background, of Greek origin. The name is of Roman origin and derives from rituals dedicated to Bacchus, but its origin is older; it probably dates back to Magna Graecia, where it was strongly rooted in the territories of Campania and Lucania as a cult of Dionysus, identified with Bacchus and Liber. Already in Roman times, but probably even earlier, it was an orgiastic feast that later became (or perhaps returned to its origins) a propitiatory feast for the gods on the occasion of the sowing and harvesting of the crops.

Period: 17th century

Measurements: Framed H 56.5 x W 68 x D 7 cm / Canvas H 37 x W 48.5 cm