Events

Bacchus

exhibition
Heritage

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thu. 21 Nov. 2024 - sun. 16 Mar. 2025

Bacchus, the Roman derivative of the Greek god Dionysos, is one of the most complex deities of the Olympian pantheon. Known primarily as the god of wine, Caravaggio's Bacchus becomes the Western iconographic reference: a languid young man crowned with vine leaves holding a glass of wine. Naturally, the character is associated with festivities, excess, and intoxication.

However, this deity is much more complex, similar to the beverage it's associated with. Like wine, Bacchus is a god who embodies ecstasy and self-abandonment, but whose worship can lead to intoxication and loss of control. This is also why he is referred to as the father of dramatic arts, with theatre allowing the assumption of another personality.

The cult of Dionysos or Bacchus differs greatly from that of "classical" deities, blending public ceremonies and secret initiations, suggesting his origins lie outside the Greek world. Dionysos already appears in the 13th century BCE on Mycenaean tablets. His dual birth, mortal mother, and close association with the earth are characteristics of several gods worshiped in the ancient Mediterranean world, rooted in primitive beliefs primarily based on elements. His closeness to Pan or the Satyrs testifies to his strong connection with nature.

His antiquity, complexity, and various facets cannot thus reduce him to the drunkard of modern and contemporary representations, much less to just a wine advertisement. Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that he still remains very present in minds and iconography.