Bacchanaal met satyrs en bacchanten bij wijnpers

Bacchanaal met satyrs en bacchanten bij wijnpers is a significant print created by Andrea Mantegna between 1473 and 1477. Executed on paper, this piece is recognized as a pioneering example of early Italian copperplate engraving, a challenging technique that Mantegna helped refine and popularize during the height of the Renaissance. The subject matter reflects the period's fervent interest in classical antiquity, depicting a boisterous Bacchanaal scene focused on a wine press, where satyrs and bacchae are engaged in frenzied revelry associated with the mythological followers of the god Bacchus.

Mantegna was celebrated for his masterful ability to translate the dense, sculptural quality of classical reliefs onto the two-dimensional surface of the paper. This work showcases his signature style: highly detailed rendering, sharp, chiseled lines, and figures that possess a striking physical robustness. The composition captures the dynamism and controlled chaos characteristic of Roman celebratory processions, establishing visual conventions for depicting classical subjects that would influence generations of subsequent artists. The sheer quality and enduring influence of the original plates ensured that Mantegna’s powerful prints were widely circulated throughout Europe. The Rijksmuseum holds this fine impression of the Bacchanaal met satyrs en bacchanten bij wijnpers within its distinguished collection of old master works. Today, because of the historical age of the original artifacts, high-resolution images and prints of this seminal work are frequently made available in the public domain, ensuring global access to Mantegna’s revolutionary vision.