Silenus Drunk (also recorded as Drunken Silenus supported by Satyrs) is a large mythological painting by the Flemish Baroque artist Anthony van Dyck, dated to 1620 and measuring 133 × 197 cm [3]. The work depicts the companion of the wine god Bacchus in a state of inebriation, supported by satyrs, and stands as a rare example of the artist's engagement with the bacchanalian themes popularized by his mentor Peter Paul Rubens [1]. Van Dyck was working in Rubens's studio in Antwerp at this time, and the painting's dynamic composition and fleshy naturalism reflect the influence of the leading northern painter of the day [1].
The painting's ownership history is documented through the National Gallery's record for the work, which lists it as "possibly by Anthony van Dyck" [4]. The provenance chain includes the Borghese collection, from which the painting was seized in 1607, followed by subsequent transfers through European collections before entering the National Gallery's holdings [4]. A related print after the composition by Schelte Adamsz. Bolswert (17th century) is held at the Harvard Art Museums, with a provenance that traces from John Witt Randall of Boston through a bequest to his sister Belinda L. Randall in 1892, and a gift to Harvard University in the same year [5].
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1607 | Seized from the Borghese collection | [4] |
| — | Transferred through subsequent European collections | [4] |
| — | Entered the National Gallery, London | [4] |
| 1892 | Bolswert print bequeathed to Belinda L. Randall; gifted to Harvard | [5] |
The painting was created in 1620, a pivotal year in Van Dyck's early career when he was working in the studio of Peter Paul Rubens, who "became a major influence on his work" [1]. Van Dyck had become a master in the Guild of Saint Luke of Antwerp on 18 October 1617, and by this time was already successful as an independent painter [1]. The composition's handling of the nude male figure and the supporting satyrs reflects the Rubensian model of mythological painting that dominated Antwerp at this period [1]. The work also anticipates Van Dyck's departure for Italy, where he would remain until 1627, mostly in Genoa [1].
Silenus, the companion and tutor of Bacchus, the god of wine, is shown in a state of drunken collapse, supported by satyrs — a subject drawn from ancient mythology that was popular in Flemish Baroque painting [3][4]. The painting's alternative title, Drunken Silenus supported by Satyrs, emphasizes the supporting figures who prop up the inebriated central character [3]. The subject belongs to the tradition of bacchanalian imagery that Rubens had revived in Antwerp, combining classical mythology with a naturalistic depiction of human excess [1].
The National Gallery's record describes the work as "possibly by Anthony van Dyck," indicating a degree of scholarly uncertainty about the attribution [4]. The Wikidata record, by contrast, lists the painting definitively as a work by Van Dyck dated to 1620 [3]. This discrepancy reflects the broader challenges of attributing early works from Van Dyck's Rubens-influenced period, when the two artists' styles were closely aligned [1].
The composition was reproduced in a print by Schelte Adamsz. Bolswert, a Flemish engraver active in the 17th century who frequently made reproductive engravings after Rubens and Van Dyck [5]. The Harvard Art Museums hold an impression of this print, which was part of the collection of John Witt Randall before being bequeathed to his sister and subsequently gifted to Harvard in 1892 [5]. This print evidence indicates the composition's circulation and influence in the 17th century.
The painting is held in the collection of the National Gallery, London, which records it as "possibly by Anthony van Dyck" [4]. The Wikidata record lists the collection as Q180788, which corresponds to the National Gallery [3].
The work measures 133 × 197 cm, making it a substantial composition [3].
In 1620, Van Dyck was working in the studio of Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp, having become a master in the Guild of Saint Luke in 1617 [1]. The painting reflects the Rubensian influence on his early mythological work, and was created just before his travels to Italy, where he stayed until 1627 [1].
Sir Anthony van Dyck (; Dutch: Antoon van Dijck [ˈɑntoːɱ‿vɑn ˈdɛik]; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Flemish Baroque artist, who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Spanish Netherlands and Italy. The seve
Flemish painter, 1599-1641, active in England
description: painting by Anthony van Dyck; inception: 1620-00-00; dimensions: +133 × +197 cm; collection: Q180788
Primary source record for this work (nationalgallery.org.uk).
artist: Schelte Adamsz. Bolswert; Anthony van Dyck; date: 17th century; medium: null; dimensions: null; credit: Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Gift of Belinda L. Randall from the collection of John Witt Randall; provenance: John Witt Rand
Louie Drehmer, Curator, ArtWiki
Louie curates ArtWiki, cross-referencing every entry against museum records, Wikidata, the Getty Union List of Artist Names, and Wikipedia.
Silenus Drunk is an oil painting by Anthony van Dyck, 1620, held at Q180788.
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