Anacréon Bacchus Et L’amour 

Jean-Léon Gérôme painted this scene of Anacreon, Bacchus, and Cupid, likely in the late 19th century, using oil on canvas. Gérôme worked in a highly polished academic style, a manner ideally suited to the era’s taste for grand historical and mythological subjects. The smooth surface obscures the labor involved in its production. It depicts a mythological scene with meticulous detail. Notice the fine rendering of skin tones and the drapery. These effects would have been achieved through layers of careful glazing, a slow and painstaking process. The painting can be understood as a product of its time, reflecting the values and tastes of the Parisian bourgeoisie, and their fascination with classical antiquity. Gérôme’s approach to materials and making, though technically impressive, reinforces a traditional hierarchy between ‘high’ art and craft.