Bacchus and Ariadne, ca. 1742 – 1743

About the Work

On the island of Naxos, Bacchus, the god of wine and debauchery, meets Ariadne, who Theseus had abandoned, falls in love with her and weds her. The drawing probably served a similar, ultimately decorative purpose as another, a few years older Natoire work in the Städel Museum's collection: "Jacob and Rachel at the well" (obj. no. 1287 Z). Both works show a comparable encounter between a lovers couple; the somewhat freer drawing style of Bacchus and Ariadne is explained by the later creation of the sheet.