Bacchanal with Silenus

This is a portrait of a wealthy family posed as characters in a mythological scene. Portraits of sitters characterized as mythological or religious figures were popular in the Netherlands during the seventeenth century. The patriarch of the family, probably a successful wine merchant, assumes the role of Silenus, the drunken companion of Bacchus, the god of wine. The half-dressed woman beside him supports his portly body as he raises his cup for more drink. Another voluptuous woman lifts her tambourine and stirs the air with lively music in this festive scene.