7Sick Bacchus By Caravaggio (Room VIII)

Sick Bacchus is another famous painting by Caravaggio found in Scipione Borghese’s former estate. You may be wondering, “How many paintings did he paint?” He has over 300 known works in existence. He could paint one in two to three weeks—extremely fast even for a great artist. Not a self-portrait, Sick Bacchus could be a portrait of Caravaggio’s inner-self. Widely known to be the Roman god of agriculture, wine, and fertility, this immediately makes Bacchus one of the world’s most beloved gods!

The oil on canvas shows a very sick and depleted Bacchus. Caravaggio struggled with substance abuse—drinking in particular. The image clearly portrays this, leaving very little to be missed. This is the last painting by the baroque master in room VIII before moving on to sculptures by Bernini.

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