Bacchus

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool picture! It's called "Bacchus," and it's super old – from way back in the 1500s! It's a picture made by scratching lines into a metal plate, then printing it onto paper. We call that an engraving. Isn't that neat? nn

(Pause for children's responses) nn

This picture shows Bacchus, the Roman god of wine! He's a big, strong guy, and he's sitting on a giant wine barrel. Can you see him? He's kind of chubby, isn't he? What do you think he's thinking about? nn

(Pause for children's responses) nn

Look closely at his hair. See all those grapes? Grapes are a symbol of wine, so they show us who he is. The picture is mostly black and gray, but the artist was really clever with the lines. He made the barrel look like real wood, and Bacchus's muscles look strong and real too! It's like he's almost jumping out of the picture! nn

(Pause for children's responses) nn

See how some parts are darker than others? That's called shading. It helps us see the roundness of the barrel and Bacchus's body. It's like a magic trick with light and shadow! The artist used light from above to make Bacchus look really impressive. What do you think the artist wanted us to notice most about Bacchus? nn

(Pause for children's responses) nn

The barrel is really important. It's a big symbol of wine and parties! And the grapes in his hair remind us again that he's the god of wine. The whole picture is nicely balanced, with Bacchus right in the middle. It's like he's the star of the show! Do you see a little "8" down in the corner? That might mean this picture is part of a bigger set of pictures. Imagine all the other pictures in that set! nn

(Pause for children's responses) nn

So, "Bacchus" isn't just a picture of a god; it's a clever picture that shows us how skilled the artist was. He made a really interesting picture using just black and gray! It shows us something about how people thought about gods a long, long time ago. What do you think about this picture? What's your favorite part? nn

(Pause for children's responses and discussion) nn

I hope you enjoyed learning about "Bacchus"! Remember, looking at art is like telling a story with pictures. It's fun to look closely and see all the details! Now, let's go see some more amazing art!