The Andrians (after Titian)
British (English) School
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1700 - 1799
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
610 x 737 mm (24 x 29 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Saltram, Devon
NT 872104
Caption
The Andrians inhabited the Greek island, Andros. It was famous for its wine and sacred to Bacchus (Dionysus). Here they are celebrating the god of wine’s visit (his ship can be seen in the distance) with their annual bacchanal when, according to legend, the rivers flowed with wine. Two girls are singing from a sheet of music: ‘He who drinks and does not drink again does not know what drinking is.’ The Greek writer, Philostratus, describes a scene painted in antiquity and Titian, the painter of the original picture, is known to have used the text as the source for his composition adding a lovely sleeping nude lady to please his patron. The original painting, of 1523-25, now in the Museo del Prado, Madrid, was the third picture commissioned by Alfonso d’Este for his study in the Ducal palace in Ferrara to complement his Worship of Venus (also Prado, Madrid) and the Bacchus and Aridane (1523), now in the National Gallery, London. This is the later of two copies at Saltram, one of which was bought by Sir Joshua Reynolds for his patron and lifelong friend, John Parker, MP (1734/5 – 1788), possibly on a shopping trip to Paris in 1768.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, The Andrians (after Titian), British (English) School, after Titian (Pieve di Cadore 1488/90 - Venice 1576), 18th century. A reduced copy of the original painting in the Prado, Madrid. Titian's original canvas of this bacchanalian scene was for his patron Alfonso I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. The Andrians are shown enjoying the pleasures of wine and song, but Bacchus and his attendants are absent. Another superior version is also at Saltram and another copy, once owned by the English painter William Etty, is in the National Gallery, Scotland.
Provenance
Not in 1819 Saltram inventory but in 1844 catalogue and thence by descent; given to the National Trust as part of the endowment by Montagu Brownlow Parker, 5th Earl of Morley (1878-1962)
Credit line
Saltram, The Morley Collection (National Trust)
Makers and roles
British (English) School, artist after Titian (Pieve di Cadore 1488/90 - Venice 1576), artist