Accession Number
123545
Medium
Black chalk and graphite, heightened with touches of white chalk (recto) and black and red chalk (verso) on ivory laid paper prepared with a green wash
Dimensions
33.5 × 21.9 cm (13 1/4 × 8 5/8 in.)
Classification
chalk
Credit Line
The Leonora Hall Gurley Memorial Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
The double-sided drawing Bacchus (recto) and Architectural Sketches (verso) is executed in black chalk and graphite with white chalk highlights on ivory laid paper prepared with a green wash. The recto shows the figure of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, derived from Michelangelo's interpretations of classical subjects. The verso features architectural sketches. The green wash preparation of the paper is unusual and gives the drawing a distinctive tonality.
Cultural Impact
Michelangelo's interpretations of classical subjects like Bacchus influenced later generations of artists studying the human form.
Why It Matters
This double-sided Bacchus study shows the influence of Michelangelo's classical subjects, the green paper ground giving the work a distinctive tonality.
