DOI Heft:
Nr. 4
DOI Artikel:Murdzeńska, Maria: A mythological picture by Jacob Adriaensz Backer
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18818#0112
who wrote in 1602 a tragedy Theseus and Ariadnę which was published in 1614. In the modern
times Ovid was also the most popular source of inspiration, his texts being interpreted from the
point of view of morality.5 The task of explaining the essence contained in Metamorphoses was
undertaken by ICarel van Mander whose work Het Schilderboeck (Haerlem, 1604) contains a chapter
on the theme in ąuestion and shows the author’s moralizing attitude in the interpretation of tire
myth.6 7 ICarel van Mander left the artists a lot of freedom in choosing episodes of the myth.
The selection of motifs had been exploited earlier in the iconographic tradition. In the classical
art the meeting of Bacchus and Ariadnę appeared mainly on the so called dionysiac sarcophagi
in a context of eschatological symbolism.’ The motif of the triumphant Bacchus and Ariadnę had
also an antiąue origin — it was revived in the XVIth century to glorify divine love, praised by
neoplatonic philosophers of the epoch, and in its military aspect to glorify the prince’s house.8 In
modern times other moments of the couple’s encounter were represented: the scene of the pee-
ping at the sleeping girl (see: Jan Sanders van Hemessen, National Gallery of Scotland.
Edinburgh),9 10 the love scene (cf. the decorative compositiou by Jan Soens, Museo Nazionale,
Naples)19 and the proper encounter i. e. the confrontation in which the psychclogical reaction of
the characters couhl be presented in a lively, dramatic way. The top achievement in this field is
undoubtedly Titian’s work (National Gallery, London).11 The affinity of Bacchus and Ariadnę
to the forces of the naturę and the dramatic tension of the meeting on the Isle of Dia did for
certain suit the baroąue imagination. The presentation of this myth was a good opportunity to
show skill in painting landscapes, an art which was flourishing in Holland at that time. The
highly developed landscape in the picture of Cornelis van Poelenburgh (fig. 5; a London antiąue
shop, 1942)12 is of no smaller importance than the storia itself. A steep, rocky precipice whose
edge divides the plain of the picture in an obliąue way forms the background cf the scene. The sea
and the cloudy sky can be seen behind the edge of the precipice in whose highest part smali
figures forming a rnerry cortege can be seen against the sky in the background. The proper
scene takes place below, on the background of a cave in the rocks.13 Both heroes are nud e. Bacchus
is offering Ariadnę the crown and the princess in a pensive attitude is resting her head on the
left hand and expressing with the right one embarassment or perhaps demur. The multitude of
beautiful shells scattered in the foreground of the picture lets suppose that they do not serve
only a picturesąue decoration. Can they be associated with the symbols of Yenus or should they
underline the morał sense of the myth?
In comparison to the briefly presented iconographical tradition the picture acąuired by the
National Museum in Warsaw is comparatively poor in traditional elements and symbols connec-
ted with the myth. Like in Poelenburgh’s picture a precipitous edge forms the coulisses of the
scene, but the open space against which the silhouette of Bacchus is seen can only iniply the vici-
nity of the sea.14 However, unlike Poelenburgh’s compositiou the nalced figures of Bacchus and
Ariadnę are, according to the tradition, the only actors of the event. Ariadnę is clutching in panie
5. A large bibliography on Ovide moralise can be found in J. Seznec, The Survival of the Pagan Gods, New York, 1 967, p. 328.
333, 336, 339, 340, 341, 342; see especially M. D. Henkel, ”Illustrierte Ausgaben von Ovids Metamorphosen im XV, XVI
und XVII. Jahrhunderts” [in:.] Vortrage der Bibliothek Warhurg 1926 —1927, VI, p. 58 —144.
6. Carel van Mander, Het Schilderboeck, Haerlem, 1604 (ed. facs. 1969); cf. a chapter entitled ”Wtlegghingli op den Metamor-
phosis Pub. Ovidij Nasonis”,fol. 69 — 73.
7. Cf. R. Turcan, Les sarcophages romains a representations dionysiaques, Paris, 1966, p. 510 — 535.
8. Cf. J. R. Martin, The Farnese Gallery, Princeton, N. J., 1965, p. 122, 123, 125.
9. National Gallery of Scotland, Catalogue, 1946, no. 78, p. 189. The picture might have been paintcd on the ground of a descrip-
tion in Philostratus, Imagines, I, 15.
10. Fontainebleau e la maniera italiana, Napoli, 1952, no. 82; S. Beguin, ”Jan Soens paysagiste oublie”, Oud Holland, LXXI,
1956, p. 217-226.
11. E. Panofsky, Problems in Titian, Mostly Iconographic, New York, 1969, p. 143, 144.
12. Phot. Netherl. Art Institute.
13. Rocks and grottoes in connection with Ariadnę myth alluded to mysteries and orgies, see R. Turcan, op. cit., p. 522.
14. On Poelenburgh’s influence on Backer see K. Bauch, op. cit., p. 22.
98
times Ovid was also the most popular source of inspiration, his texts being interpreted from the
point of view of morality.5 The task of explaining the essence contained in Metamorphoses was
undertaken by ICarel van Mander whose work Het Schilderboeck (Haerlem, 1604) contains a chapter
on the theme in ąuestion and shows the author’s moralizing attitude in the interpretation of tire
myth.6 7 ICarel van Mander left the artists a lot of freedom in choosing episodes of the myth.
The selection of motifs had been exploited earlier in the iconographic tradition. In the classical
art the meeting of Bacchus and Ariadnę appeared mainly on the so called dionysiac sarcophagi
in a context of eschatological symbolism.’ The motif of the triumphant Bacchus and Ariadnę had
also an antiąue origin — it was revived in the XVIth century to glorify divine love, praised by
neoplatonic philosophers of the epoch, and in its military aspect to glorify the prince’s house.8 In
modern times other moments of the couple’s encounter were represented: the scene of the pee-
ping at the sleeping girl (see: Jan Sanders van Hemessen, National Gallery of Scotland.
Edinburgh),9 10 the love scene (cf. the decorative compositiou by Jan Soens, Museo Nazionale,
Naples)19 and the proper encounter i. e. the confrontation in which the psychclogical reaction of
the characters couhl be presented in a lively, dramatic way. The top achievement in this field is
undoubtedly Titian’s work (National Gallery, London).11 The affinity of Bacchus and Ariadnę
to the forces of the naturę and the dramatic tension of the meeting on the Isle of Dia did for
certain suit the baroąue imagination. The presentation of this myth was a good opportunity to
show skill in painting landscapes, an art which was flourishing in Holland at that time. The
highly developed landscape in the picture of Cornelis van Poelenburgh (fig. 5; a London antiąue
shop, 1942)12 is of no smaller importance than the storia itself. A steep, rocky precipice whose
edge divides the plain of the picture in an obliąue way forms the background cf the scene. The sea
and the cloudy sky can be seen behind the edge of the precipice in whose highest part smali
figures forming a rnerry cortege can be seen against the sky in the background. The proper
scene takes place below, on the background of a cave in the rocks.13 Both heroes are nud e. Bacchus
is offering Ariadnę the crown and the princess in a pensive attitude is resting her head on the
left hand and expressing with the right one embarassment or perhaps demur. The multitude of
beautiful shells scattered in the foreground of the picture lets suppose that they do not serve
only a picturesąue decoration. Can they be associated with the symbols of Yenus or should they
underline the morał sense of the myth?
In comparison to the briefly presented iconographical tradition the picture acąuired by the
National Museum in Warsaw is comparatively poor in traditional elements and symbols connec-
ted with the myth. Like in Poelenburgh’s picture a precipitous edge forms the coulisses of the
scene, but the open space against which the silhouette of Bacchus is seen can only iniply the vici-
nity of the sea.14 However, unlike Poelenburgh’s compositiou the nalced figures of Bacchus and
Ariadnę are, according to the tradition, the only actors of the event. Ariadnę is clutching in panie
5. A large bibliography on Ovide moralise can be found in J. Seznec, The Survival of the Pagan Gods, New York, 1 967, p. 328.
333, 336, 339, 340, 341, 342; see especially M. D. Henkel, ”Illustrierte Ausgaben von Ovids Metamorphosen im XV, XVI
und XVII. Jahrhunderts” [in:.] Vortrage der Bibliothek Warhurg 1926 —1927, VI, p. 58 —144.
6. Carel van Mander, Het Schilderboeck, Haerlem, 1604 (ed. facs. 1969); cf. a chapter entitled ”Wtlegghingli op den Metamor-
phosis Pub. Ovidij Nasonis”,fol. 69 — 73.
7. Cf. R. Turcan, Les sarcophages romains a representations dionysiaques, Paris, 1966, p. 510 — 535.
8. Cf. J. R. Martin, The Farnese Gallery, Princeton, N. J., 1965, p. 122, 123, 125.
9. National Gallery of Scotland, Catalogue, 1946, no. 78, p. 189. The picture might have been paintcd on the ground of a descrip-
tion in Philostratus, Imagines, I, 15.
10. Fontainebleau e la maniera italiana, Napoli, 1952, no. 82; S. Beguin, ”Jan Soens paysagiste oublie”, Oud Holland, LXXI,
1956, p. 217-226.
11. E. Panofsky, Problems in Titian, Mostly Iconographic, New York, 1969, p. 143, 144.
12. Phot. Netherl. Art Institute.
13. Rocks and grottoes in connection with Ariadnę myth alluded to mysteries and orgies, see R. Turcan, op. cit., p. 522.
14. On Poelenburgh’s influence on Backer see K. Bauch, op. cit., p. 22.
98