Bacchus
Artist: Michelangelo Buonarroti
Year Composed: 1496
Artistic Movement: Renaissance
Nationality: Italy
Floor Found in Château: First Garden
Year Composed: 1496
Artistic Movement: Renaissance
Nationality: Italy
Floor Found in Château: First Garden
About the Artwork
The God of Wine comes to life within Michelangelo Buonarroti's sculpture of Bacchus in 1496. As a larger-than-life sculpture, Bacchus is shown holding a wine glass in his right hand as a faun (a mythological half-human, half-goat) is dining on grapes that are falling out the pouch in Bacchus' left hand. Along with his Pieta (1498-1499), the Bacchus are two of the only surviving sculptures from Michelangelo's first stint working in the city-state of Rome. The stance of Bacchus is of the contrapposto, which is a representation of balance where figures would have weight and pressure on one foot while the other appears lifted and weightless. That, as well as the slight twist and rotation of the upper body, adds more dynamism and tension to the piece. In this particular case, the contrapposto adds to the drunkenness of Bacchus as he sips on his wine.
About the Artist
Michelangelo Buonarroti, or better known just as Michelangelo, was born in Caprese within the Florentine Republic. Given the nickname of Il Divino (or the Divine One), Michelangelo was known as a master sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the Italian Renaissance. He is widely known for several works of art, which range from his Sistine Chapel Ceiling (1508-1512), Pieta (1498-1499), David (1501-1504), Last Judgment (1534-1541), and the Saint Peter's Basilica (1545-1564). These are just a few of the immense variety of works completed by Michelangelo that hold such influence and inspiration throughout the world of art and art history.
About the Movement
Bacchus was composed in the Renaissance Age of art. The Renaissance Age was a time, mostly known throughout Europe, that occurred during the 14th and 17th Centuries (or between the 1300s and 1600s). It lies between the Middle Ages and the Baroque Age. Literally meaning "rebirth", the Renaissance was a rebirth of Classical antiquity, allowing artists, writers, poets, scholars, scientists, and philosophers to study and pay homage to their ancient ancestors. During this time, artists were known for painting and sculpting works of Greco-Roman mythology or narratives from the Bible that showcased both cultural themes as well as themes of Christianity. Some of the most famous Renaissance artists included Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael Sanzio, and Tiziano Vecello (better known as Titian).
Location of Original Work of Art: Bargello National Museum, Florence, Italy
The God of Wine comes to life within Michelangelo Buonarroti's sculpture of Bacchus in 1496. As a larger-than-life sculpture, Bacchus is shown holding a wine glass in his right hand as a faun (a mythological half-human, half-goat) is dining on grapes that are falling out the pouch in Bacchus' left hand. Along with his Pieta (1498-1499), the Bacchus are two of the only surviving sculptures from Michelangelo's first stint working in the city-state of Rome. The stance of Bacchus is of the contrapposto, which is a representation of balance where figures would have weight and pressure on one foot while the other appears lifted and weightless. That, as well as the slight twist and rotation of the upper body, adds more dynamism and tension to the piece. In this particular case, the contrapposto adds to the drunkenness of Bacchus as he sips on his wine.
About the Artist
Michelangelo Buonarroti, or better known just as Michelangelo, was born in Caprese within the Florentine Republic. Given the nickname of Il Divino (or the Divine One), Michelangelo was known as a master sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the Italian Renaissance. He is widely known for several works of art, which range from his Sistine Chapel Ceiling (1508-1512), Pieta (1498-1499), David (1501-1504), Last Judgment (1534-1541), and the Saint Peter's Basilica (1545-1564). These are just a few of the immense variety of works completed by Michelangelo that hold such influence and inspiration throughout the world of art and art history.
About the Movement
Bacchus was composed in the Renaissance Age of art. The Renaissance Age was a time, mostly known throughout Europe, that occurred during the 14th and 17th Centuries (or between the 1300s and 1600s). It lies between the Middle Ages and the Baroque Age. Literally meaning "rebirth", the Renaissance was a rebirth of Classical antiquity, allowing artists, writers, poets, scholars, scientists, and philosophers to study and pay homage to their ancient ancestors. During this time, artists were known for painting and sculpting works of Greco-Roman mythology or narratives from the Bible that showcased both cultural themes as well as themes of Christianity. Some of the most famous Renaissance artists included Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael Sanzio, and Tiziano Vecello (better known as Titian).
Location of Original Work of Art: Bargello National Museum, Florence, Italy