Sleeping Bacchus (Le Berger endormi), 1790/1791. Anne Louis Girodet-Trioson. Oil on canvas. Purchase: Nelson Gallery Foundation through the exchange of various Foundation properties.
In this painting, Anne-Louis Girodet de Roucy-Trioson, known as Girodet, depicted the aftermath of a wild party celebrating Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. Bacchus and members of his entourage are shown sleeping off the effects of wine, while a satyr chases a nymph in the background. Drawing inspiration from classical antiquity, Girodet chose a mythological subject and included nude figures. However, he painted this scene with the vibrant yet moody colors common to Romanticism.
