Les Andriens.

Title

Les Andriens.

Description

Title page of Bacchus, god of wine.

ca. 1700

Artist

Anonymus

Historical Description

Many wine lovers will already be familiar with Bacchus - the Roman god of wine, ecstasy and fertility. The Romans adopted this god from the Greeks, where he was known as Dionysus. Dionysus is the son of Zeus, the father of the gods, and the mortal Semele. Zeus' actual wife Hera was jealous of this union, which is why Zeus entrusted his son to the care of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, who eventually had him educated by nymphs on Mount Nysa. This is where his Greek name Dionysus - god of the mountain - comes from. From then on, Bacchus traveled through the countryside with a retinue of nymphs and satyrs and spread the art of wine growing and pressing among the people. His deeds made him an extremely popular deity and the so-called Bacchanalia were held in his honor, lavish festivals held in spring to celebrate the beginning of the new fertile period of the year. Over the course of time, Bacchus was immortalized in the form of paintings and statues by a whole series of famous artists such as Rubens, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. In ancient Greek works of art, he is usually depicted as a bearded and old man. Over the centuries, however, his portrayal changed to a youthful and vital man. His symbols include ivy, a drinking cup and the thyrsos, a staff entwined with vines. In some legends, he also appears in animal form and sneaks up on people who are up to mischief.