Bacchante at the Palace of Versailles, France

myminifactory

This is one of many marble sculptures decorating the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. A masterpiece by Jean Dedieu (1652-1727) brings a Bacchante to life as she plays a tambourine with her hands. Completed in 1685, this work was commissioned for the Grande Commande initiated in 1674. As a priestess of Bacchus, the Roman counterpart to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and lively social events, the Bacchante embodies both the ecstasy and destructive power of the deity she worships and his major attribute: wine. While often depicted as a free spirit in modern representations, the Bacchante has a darker side. Possessed and acting in a trance-like state, she gives in to her primal nature completely, capable of tearing apart not only animals that cross her path but also humans, in a sacrificial rite known as sparagmos. This ritual is sometimes followed by omophagia, where Bacchantes devour the victim's remains. The destructive aspect of Bacchantes is portrayed in Euripides' play "The Bacchae" and Ovid's "Metamorphoses". In "The Bacchae", ordinary women become Bacchantes, abandoning their roles as wives, mothers, and community members in their ecstasy. At the conclusion of the play, Theban King Pentheus is mauled to death by his own mother and aunts. Similarly, Orpheus meets his end in Ovid's "Metamorphoses". This object is part of the "Scan The World" initiative. Scan The World is a non-profit project introduced by MyMiniFactory, which aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access at no cost. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate.