Michelangelo Maestri (died 1812) - Bacchus

Michelangelo Maestri (died 1812)
The triumph of Bacchus called The genius of Bacchus.
Gouache on paper.
Early 19th century.

The compositions of the Italian painter Michelangelo Maestri are taken from the frescoes discovered in Pompeii and Herculaneum during the 18th century and from the decorations imagined by Raphael and his pupil Giulio Romano for the great Roman palaces of the Renaissance.
Maestri's gouaches were popular with aristocrats making their Grand Tour of Italy. Thanks to their high quality of execution on the one hand, and because they were based on the great mythological themes known since the Renaissance on the other.
In this case, this gouache represents the chariot of Bacchus pulled by two fauns. The original fresco was first painted for the Villa Lante in Rome around 1520 by Giulio Romano, before being moved to the Palazzo Zuccaro in Rome, where it is currently located.