Bacchus

work by Michelangelo

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Last updated

June 18, 2026

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Michelangelo's Bacchus is a marble sculpture created in Rome between 1496 and 1497. It is one of his earliest surviving large statues and draws inspiration from ancient Roman nude figures. The sculpture depicts the god of wine and revelry, evoking a sense of conscious instability and embodying Dionysian ecstasy with remarkable skill. Unlike many of Michelangelo's other works, the Bacchus was designed to be viewed from all sides, making it unique for its time. This piece is a significant early work in Michelangelo's career, showcasing his developing style and his engagement with classical antiquity.12

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Michelangelo
Early life and works
…first surviving large statue, the Bacchus, produced in Rome (1496–97) following a brief return to Florence. (A wooden crucifix, recently discovered, attributed by some scholars to Michelangelo and now housed in the Casa Buonarroti in Florence, has also been proposed as the antecedent of the Bacchus in design by those…
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…first surviving large statue, the Bacchus, produced in Rome (1496–97) following a brief return to Florence. (A wooden crucifix, recently discovered, attributed by some scholars to Michelangelo and now housed in the Casa Buonarroti in Florence, has also been proposed as the antecedent of the Bacchus in design by those…
Read More