title: The Wisdom of Bacchus: Emblematic, Iconographic and Literary Allusions in the Hermitage Painting by P. P. Rubens
metadata.name: dc.contributor.author
metadata.value: Demidova, Maria A.
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.date.accessioned
metadata.value: 2024-06-04T16:20:41Z
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.date.available
metadata.value: 2024-06-04T16:20:41Z
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.date.issued
metadata.value: 2024-03
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.identifier.citation
metadata.value: Demidova, Maria. “The Wisdom of Bacchus: Emblematic, Iconographic and Literary Allusions in the Hermitage Painting by P. P. Rubens”. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Arts 14, no. 1 (2024): 97–121. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu15.2024.106 (In Russian)
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.identifier.other
metadata.value: https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu15.2024.106
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.identifier.uri
metadata.value: http://hdl.handle.net/11701/45521
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.description.abstract
metadata.value: The painting “Bacchus” by Peter Paul Rubens (State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg) has
  frequently attracted the attention of both local and foreign researchers. In this article, we question the interpretation of the painting as a simple allegory of the autumn grape harvest and
  the celebration of production of young wine. Bacchanalian subjects since Antiquity have been
  loaded with additional meanings associated with regeneration and creative potentials. The
  latter aspect was picked up and developed by Renaissance artists. Rubens followed often that
  tradition. L. D. Davis saw in the Hermitage painting a metaphor of the creative method of the
  Flemish painter, who trusted intuitive impulses more than rigid rules. We share partially this
  point of view, but we propose to consider the named work in a broader sense than that scholar
  did. It seems to us that Rubens presented in “Bacchus” his allegorical self-portrait, emphasizing
  his love of life and his philosophical emancipation. Thus, the Flemish artist expressed his
  opposition to moralizing and short-sighted opinions in contemporary culture and his desire
  to return to the breadth of the Renaissance vision. As a consequence, the allusions contained
  in his painting to “The Andrians” by Titian, some emblems by Andrea Alciato, as well as the
  new Rubens interpretation of Comus, an ancient character, which John Milton used in his
  didactic mask a few years before the creation of Hermitage work, — don’t seem accidental.
  The portly Bacchus in the painting is presented as the lord of earthly diversity and boundless
  abundance, at the same time he is a wise mentor-judge, indicating how to properly handle
  all this wealth open to human race. The concept of the boon as the right disposal of freedom
  and desires, reflected in iconographic system of the Hermitage painting, fits with the ideas of
  Plato’s dialogue “Feast”.
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.language.iso
metadata.value: ru
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.publisher
metadata.value: St Petersburg State University
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.relation.ispartofseries
metadata.value: Vestnik of St Petersburg University. Arts;Volume 14; Issue 1
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: Peter Paul Rubens
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: Andrea Alciato
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: the tradition of Bacchus depicting
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: emblems
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: “Paintings” of Philostratus
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: “Statues” of Callistratus
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: puer mingens
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: Komos
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: allegory of Intemperance
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.title
metadata.value: The Wisdom of Bacchus: Emblematic, Iconographic and Literary Allusions in the Hermitage Painting by P. P. Rubens
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.type
metadata.value: Article
metadata.lang: en_GB
resources.filename: 06.pdf
resources.url: https://dspace.spbu.ru/bitstream/11701/45521/1/06.pdf
resources.format: Adobe PDF
resources.size: 6,34 MB