Bulletin du Musée National de Varsovie (11.1970)

in the illustration of a XVIth century edition of Ovid’s Metamorphoses (fig. 4).19 These represen-
tations were certainly known and easily accessible for the artistic circles in the Netherlands
in the first ąuarter of the XVIItb century. The artisfs choice of this very type of nudę may
indicate the joining of definite physical features with a particular role of the hero. Nevertheless
the formal resemblance of Bacchus figures resulted rather from the popularity of the image created
by Goltzius than from its direct influence on Backer. Is the picture something morę than just
an illustration of a mythological motif ? The lack of conventional symbols would prove the
absence of morę generał contents. One should however take into account the way Backer used
to represent mythological and historical subjects in order to decide whether the picture in spite
of its purely narrative appearance can not be supposed to have some complex meaning.

From the very beginning of his career Backer specialised in religious and mythological subjects.
In the thirties of the XVIIth century, undoubtedly under Rembrandfs influence, he sought for
forms of expression that would suit the dramatic conflicts contained in the storia. It seems tbat
for some time he was interested in the motif of an encounter. Backer painted the meeting of De-
mocritus and Hippocrates, of Christ and the Samaritan Woman, of Cimon and Ephigenia.20 The
common element in these representations is the interest in the expressive effect of the encounter
and one should not eliminate the moralising significance. Since it is obviouns that the artist wanted
to express in our picture strong emotions of the characters by the movement of their bodies,
and that the type of the nudes expressed his attitude towards naturę, we can suppose that
this work was created under the influence of Rembrandfs art. A similar psychological tension
expressed in the face and the moyement of the body, but presented in a morę perfect way can
be found in his personage of Susanna in the picture from 1637 (Mauritshuis, the Hague).21 Con-
trary to Rembrandfs Susanna whose glance is deep, calling for attention and directed to the behol-
der as if asking him to witness the event — Backefs Ariadnę stares rather vacuously and in a
direction that has no logical explanation.

Unfortunately Backefs original showing the encounter of Cimon and Ephigenia has not been
preserved, but only its XVIIth century copy (fig. 6).22 It is a composition showing in many ways
a likeness to the encounter of Bacchus and Ariadnę: there is the analogical motif of an encounter
and the landscape creating the atmosphere. The glance of Cimon does not meet that of Ephigenia
just as Ariadnę is not looking at Bacchus. A lot of analogies can be found in the draperies, but first
of all similar are the female nudes with heavy and oval bellies, smali breasts, plump arms and legs.
The oval, egg-shaped heads with high foreheads and deep-set eyes show a great resemblance.
The difference in treating the details may be the copyisfs contribution. The same type of nudę
one can find in a drawing from the Kestner-Museum in Hannover.

Short before 1640 Backer painted his selfportrait depicting himself in a shepherd’s disguise
(a private collection,Gauno).23The treating of details:the wreath, hair, the silhouette put against
a lighter background show a striking resemblance with the treating of Bacchus head in our picture.
Backer did return in his career to the theme of Bacchus and Ariadnę (fig. 7). There exists an
engraving madę by Michiel Mosyn clearly signed with Backefs name as the author of the compo-
sition 24 but lacking the datę. Supposing the engraying reproduces faithfully the picture let us
pay attention to the essential differences with the work in Warsaw. This time it is not an encounter
but a love scene (static to a great extent),the personalities exchanging meaningful glances and

19. Venice, 1584; Franco executed this illustration after F. Turchi;seeM. Cli. Le Blanc, Manuel de ramateur d’estampes, Paris,
1854, B-G, 6-21, p. 250; M. D. Henkel, op. cit., pl. XX. fig. 38, p. 97.

20. K. Bauch, op. cit., no. 57, pl. 11; p. 21, no. 13, pl. 12, p. 22; no. 62, pl. 12, p. 22.

21. A. Bredius, Rembrandt Gemalde, Yienna, 1935, no. 505. ed. re\ised by H. Gerson, London, 1969, no 505, p. 420.

22. K. Bauch, op. cit., no. 62, pl. 12, p. 22.

22a. Handzeichnungen I: Die Niederl. d. 16. bis 18 Jh., Hannover, 1960 no 31, pl,10,

23. K. Bauch, op. cit., no. 86, pl. 35, p. 37.

24. K. Bauch, op. cii., no. 42, p. 80; A. Pigler, Barockthemen, II, Budapest, 1956, p. 46,

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