Two Medallions with Standing Figures of Omphale and Bacchus, Separated by Design of Acanthus Leaves 1747 - 1785

Giovanni Battista Cipriani rendered these medallions of Omphale and Bacchus with pen and brown ink and gray wash. We see Omphale, queen of Lydia, and Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry, framed by acanthus leaves. These figures, pulled from antiquity, are themselves symbols of transformation and ecstasy. Note how the image of Bacchus, here holding his thyrsus, resonates with images of Dionysus from ancient Greece, and even further back to the ecstatic cults of the Near East. Consider how this motif transcends time, reappearing in various forms throughout history. The acanthus leaves, too, carry a rich history, evoking classical architecture and the enduring influence of ancient forms. It is fascinating to observe how these classical motifs resurface in different epochs, each time imbued with new layers of meaning shaped by the collective unconscious of that age. Their repeated use speaks to a deep-seated human need to connect with the past, to find continuity in the ever-changing flow of time.