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Notes
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The Andrians inhabited the Greek island of Andros. It was famous for its wine and sacred to Bacchus (Dionysus). Here they are celebrating Bacchus'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, described a scene like this 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 (1523–1525) (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.
This is a good early copy and was probably painted in Rome before Olimpia Aldobrandini gave the original to Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi in 1621. The Cardinal may have been the owner who had the naked bits covered over (this copy shared that over-painting until it was restored). It is one of two copies at Saltram and was possibly bought by Sir Joshua Reynolds for his patron on a shopping trip to Paris in 1768.
Title
The Andrians
Date
1600–1622/1623
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 172.5 x W 188 cm
Accession number
872152
Acquisition method
accepted in lieu of death duties on the estate of Edmund, 4th Earl of Morley; transferred from HM Treasury, 1957
Work type
Painting
