Triomftocht van Bacchus 1660 - 1692

Pietro Aquila created this print, "The Triumph of Bacchus," around the turn of the 18th century, using engraving. It depicts a chaotic scene of revelry associated with the Roman god of wine and ecstasy. Made in Italy, the image revels in the visual codes of classical antiquity. We see Bacchus riding atop an elephant, surrounded by a throng of his followers engaged in drunken merrymaking. Temples and classical architectural elements populate the background, referencing a romanticized vision of the ancient world. But this idealized vision served a purpose for Aquila's contemporaries. In an era of strict social hierarchies and religious dogma, images of Bacchanalian abandon offered a sanctioned space for transgression and the temporary suspension of social norms. Such images were often commissioned by wealthy patrons as a means of displaying their own worldliness and sophistication. To understand this print fully, we can consult historical texts, social histories of the period, and studies of patronage to reveal the complex web of social and institutional forces.