nikhil.io

American, 1928–2011

Untitled (Bacchus 1st Version IV), 2004

Acrylic paint and crayon on wood in artist’s frame

The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

This artwork captures the ecstasy of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and pleasure, with its violent swirls of vivid red. The other legible word in the painting refers to Dionysus mainomenos, Bacchus’s counterpart in Greek mythology. Mainomenos comes from the Greek word mania and describes a manifestation of the god as an embodiment of frenzied hedonism and eroticism bordering on madness. Twombly immersed himself in Greek and Roman mythology throughout his life. Untitled (Bacchus 1st Version IV) is part of a series of paintings and drawings focused on Bacchus/Dionysus, his various forms, and associated psychological states that the artist completed in the early 2000s.

“This artwork captures the ecstasy of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and pleasure, with its violent swirls of vivid red.”

It also captures the typhoon of rage in my head at people thinking it’s a notable piece of art.

Cy Twombly

American, 1928–2011