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Figure Group of Bacchus and Ariadne
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Porcelain figurines decorated the tabletops and living spaces of wealthy Europeans. Though seen in three-dimensions, their inspiration was often drawn from two-dimensional print sources. Swathed in flowers, this figure group depicts Cretan princess Ariadne pouring a drink for the Roman god of wine, Bacchus. Their pose and surrounding scenery was based on an etching by French engraver Jacques Philippe le Bas.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineFigure Group of Bacchus and Ariadne, c. 1759. Orléans Porcelain Factory. Soft-paste porcelain; overall: 25.4 x 18.8 x 16.9 cm (10 x 7 3/8 x 6 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of A. & R. Ball, 1946.221
