The Young Bacchus, holding a flute
Original title: The Young Bacchus, holding a flute
kurzbeschreibung
The youthful wine god Bacchus, holding a flute, stands at the center of this 1728 etching by Anton Joseph von Prenner. It reproduces a painting by Peter Paul Rubens. The upright print measures 23 × 16.4 cm and belongs to the 18th-century tradition of reproductive printmaking.
Description
A boy with curly hair adorned with blossoms holds a flute. A simple shirt slips over his shoulders. Behind him stands a piece of furniture on which a flute and another instrument rest. Along the lower edge appears the inscription 'PETER PAUL RUBENS, PINXIT.', pointing to the original painting.
Context
In 1728 Anton Joseph von Prenner made this reproductive etching after a painting by Peter Paul Rubens showing the young Bacchus. Such prints after famous models served in the 18th century to circulate paintings and appealed to collectors. The childish Bacchus was a common motif in Baroque painting, representing the wine god in his early form.
Impact
Childlike innocence and the floral attributes give the image a graceful, playful quality. The delicate linework of the etching makes the portrait appear soft and draws the viewer in.
Technique
In etching, the drawing is bitten into a copper plate, an intaglio technique. Prenner used thin lines to render hair, blossoms, and facial features. The strong cropping of the sheet may indicate that it was later used as an illustration.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)