Bacchanal - Workshop of Filippo Lauri (Rome, 1623–1694)

"Bacchanal with offerings to the statue of Pan"
Workshop of Filippo Lauri (Rome, 1623–1694)

Oil on canvas
Late 17th century
Canvas cm. 67 x 47 frame cm. 80 x 62
Excellent condition
The painting has been cleaned and relined.

The work depicting a bacchanal of great involvement, made extremely dynamic by the dance of the two central figures, a Satyr who raises a glass of wine and a splendid nymph who shakes cymbals.
Other fauns, now drunk, drink directly from large flasks of wine, stretched out on the grass and surrounded by cherubs.
A large statue depicting the God Pan is honored with rich garlands of flowers and fruit.
The scene is characterized by the notable three-dimensionality of the naked bodies of the protagonists that stand out full of light in the undergrowth.
The painting expresses a climate of great joy, almost a hymn to a carefree life, dedicated to joy and celebrations, drowned in unbridled libations.

The author should be placed among the collaborators of the Roman Master Filippo Lauri (Rome, 25 August 1623 – 12 December 1694) and proves to be extremely skilled both in the drafting of the naturalistic environment and in the rendering of the various male and female figures.
The beauty of this Bacchanal, probably the most famous creation among Lauri's mythological subjects, obtained an extraordinary success among the aristocracy of the capital, so much so that it was replicated in large numbers by his workshop to satisfy the continuous demand for similar works.
Ours, moreover of a beautiful size, is certainly of excellent workmanship and presents itself with a beautiful chromatic range, bright and enriched by excellent chiaroscuro effects that give the scene a truly exceptional sense of volume.