Bacchus and Ariadne

Go big or go home—that is the message of Luca Giordano’s heartfelt scene. It depicts the beautiful Ariadne sleeping as her fickle lover Theseus abandons her (you can spot his ship sailing away in the background). Seeing her by the water, the wine god Bacchus rushes in with his entourage to proclaim his love. The crown of stars above them foretells the success of his romantic gesture; once wed, Bacchus will place Ariadne’s wedding crown in the sky where it becomes the constellation Corona Borealis.

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