Dionysus and his Maenads

Name: Dionysus and his Maenads

Date: Mid first century

Location: Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii

Approximate Dimensions: 7x20 feet

Painter: unknown

Medium: Wall painting in a Roman triclinium

Sources of info: Roman Art, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclinium, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_of_the_Mysteries

Picture taken by Chris Carter

Significance of the work:

In this painting of Dionysus, the god of wine, and his ecstatic followers the Maenads, many elements of the Dionysian cult are represented. One of the rites of the cult was initiation. To join the cult, one had to go through the initiation rite of being hit by a switch. This painting shows a young woman being whipped by a half-naked angel. Another element represented is the behavior of the Maenads. According to Roman Art, “One (Maenad) is naked and dancing with cymbals, a twirling piece of drapery flowing from her shoulder” (89). Finally, this painting shows the normal entourage of Dionysus. He is normally accompanied by his Maenads, Silenus, and satyrs. This painting contains all those elements.