The art of love: Titian
Seduction on a grand scale
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Titian: 'Bacchus and Ariadne', 1520-3, National Gallery, London
For most of us, the mating game is a private affair. It happens in closed rooms, secluded corners, in sealed bubbles of intimacy. It doesn't, at least in its early stages, normally take the form of a carnival procession, a public triumph. But in the courtships of gods and goddesses, they order things differently. Personal desires are played out on the stage of the wide world.
Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne gives us a chat-up on a grand scale. The Cretan princess has been abandoned on the island of Naxos. As she wanders the coast, lost in misery, the god of wine suddenly rolls up on his leopard-drawn chariot. He's brought with him his full retinue of wild maenads and satyrs, clashing cymbals, dismembering animals, snake wrestling and deep in drink. The whole right half of the scene is a packed orgy of flesh, fur, silks and foliage. Then on the left side the picture opens out, to a wide blue sky, for the big encounter.
The princess turns. The god is caught mid-leap. He holds a split-second, cloak fluttering, foot-in-the-air pose. Here is a man hurling himself at a woman. And as his body plunges, open-mouthed, his eyes meet hers. It's that moment of absolute risk, surrender and presumption. Here I am! Me and my whole life!
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments