Bacchic ornament

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Bacchic ornament. Associated with Bacchus, Roman deity of wine and fertility, among whose attributes are asses, grapevines, laurels, panthers, rams, serpents, and tigers, it was found in Antiquity, and from Renaissance times was used when associations with sensual pleasure were desired. It was regarded as the opposite of Apolline decoration, and was widely used in Neo-Classical design.

Bibliography

Lewis and and Darley (1986)