373 - Franciszek Smuglewicz

Franciszek Smuglewicz 1745-1807 The Youth of Bacchus Adaptation by Marco Carloni Watercolor on paper 33 x 42 cm, with frame 55.5 x 64 cm Signed lower left and center Franciszek Smuglewicz is considered one of the leading representatives of Classicism in Poland and Lithuania. His training and his long stay in Rome shaped his intense engagement with ancient art and mythological themes. Together with Vincenzo Brenna, he created drawings based on ancient Roman murals, which Marco Carloni then translated into prints for the illustrated volume *Vestigia delle Terme di Tito e loro interne pitture*. The watercolor depicts an early episode in the life of the ancient god of wine. After his extraordinary birth, he was entrusted to the care of nymphs. Depictions of his youth therefore often combine his caring companions with figures from his later entourage. Within a bluish-washed, grisaille-like frame with red-ground corner medallions, a procession of figures facing to the right unfolds against a red background. A woman walking ahead pulls a small cart and is accompanied by a second woman. Behind them, a muscular man holds the reins of a horse that is rearing slightly. His cloak, billowing dynamically, enhances the group’s momentum. A wreath adorns his head; behind him appears another figure in a long robe wearing a crown-like headdress. The wreath-crowned man is presumably depicted as Bacchus. The shared direction of movement, the lively horse, and the billowing fabric lend the scene a procession-like character. The red background and the blue accents of the frame combine the classical-style depiction of the figures with an overall decorative design reminiscent of the panels in ancient wall paintings.