Bacchanale d'enfants
Nicolas Poussin·1626
Historical Context
Bacchanal of Children from 1626 at the Galleria Nazionale shows Poussin painting putti engaged in Bacchic revelry. These playful compositions reflect the Roman tradition of putti decoration while demonstrating Poussin's command of the infant figure. Poussin's mythological subjects drew on deep reading of ancient texts — Ovid, Virgil, and Philostratus — and rigorous study of antique sculpture and Titian's poesie. His approach transformed mythology from decoration into moral and philosophical d...
Technical Analysis
The composition of playing children creates a lively decorative scene. Poussin's warm palette and naturalistic handling of the child figures create a charming mythological genre piece.
