Silenus

Silenus — Jusepe de Ribera. 1628.

Medium: etching. Dimensions: Sheet: 27 x 35 cm (10 5/8 x 13 3/4 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

Before a large wine barrel, Silenus (Bacchus’s teacher) lies inebriated on the ground as he raises his cup to receive wine from a satyr in this print. Jusepe de Ribera included these and other details indicating that the scene was intended to be humorous. Two infants mimic Silenus, and a braying donkey adds to the chaotic setting. Pan, patron of shepherds, with his pipe and staff at his feet, crowns Silenus with grapevines. A satyr and a maenad, at upper left, contribute music as well as sexual innuendo (implied by the placement of the satyr’s flute). Ribera drew inspiration from Andrea Mantegna’s bacchanalia image but he introduced more texture and sensuality to the subject matter through his rich etching technique.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.