The scene that sweeps along the side of this sarcophagus depicts the triumphant return of the god Bacchus (Dionysus) from India , where he had been spreading his cult of joyous physical abandon. On the left edge , Bacchus steps into a chariot drawn by two Indian elephants. Before him , his merry-making attendants (many part human-part beast) celebrate with wine, dance and music. At the far right is Hercules , who has lost a drinking contest to Bacchus and staggers toward a coyly welcoming maenad , one of Bacchus' lustful female followers .Almost every inch of the relief is covered with figures of astonishing variety and vitality , carved in such high relief that some are almost free of the block.
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- Girodet
- " Every day we should hear at least one good song , read one good poem , see one exquisite picture , and , if possible , speak a few sensible words . " Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "
Sunday, 13 January 2013
' Sarcophagus with Triumph of Dionysos ' Roman (about 215-225 AD) Marble , from the island of Procconnesus . Museum of Fine Art , Boston, Massachusetts.
The scene that sweeps along the side of this sarcophagus depicts the triumphant return of the god Bacchus (Dionysus) from India , where he had been spreading his cult of joyous physical abandon. On the left edge , Bacchus steps into a chariot drawn by two Indian elephants. Before him , his merry-making attendants (many part human-part beast) celebrate with wine, dance and music. At the far right is Hercules , who has lost a drinking contest to Bacchus and staggers toward a coyly welcoming maenad , one of Bacchus' lustful female followers .Almost every inch of the relief is covered with figures of astonishing variety and vitality , carved in such high relief that some are almost free of the block.
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