Bacchus and Ariadne

The legendary meeting of Bacchus and Ariadne on the island of Naxos is based on Ovid’s description in the eighth book of his Metamorphoses. Pittoni conceived his painting according to the contemporary rules of theatre choreography, rigorously subjecting the noble gestures of the two characters, details of the scene and stylisation of the costumes and draperies to the pompous direction of the gallant story. Like its counterpart, Sacrifice of Polyxena, this cabinet painting comes from the Count Thun collection.