Old Silenus on a Donkey
1925 Musée d'Orsay
About this artwork
This painting depicts the mythical figure Silenus accompanied by figures associated with the Bacchic retinue in a sun-drenched field. It is a work by the French painter Ker-Xavier Roussel, known for his interest in mythological and pastoral scenes.
Did you know?
Ker-Xavier Roussel was a member of the Nabis, a group of post-impressionist avant-garde artists in the 1890s who placed great emphasis on decorative and symbolic qualities. Later in his career, he moved away from the more flat, patterned aesthetic of his youth to explore richer, more classical themes rooted in Greek mythology, as seen in this lively depiction of the drunken companion to Dionysus.
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Old Silenus on a Donkey
Ker-Xavier Roussel, 1925
