- you are here: Home
- Hidden Treasures
- The self-portrait disguised in Caravaggio’s Bacchus in Florence
The self-portrait disguised in Caravaggio’s Bacchus in Florence
Did you know that...
The self-portrait disguised in Caravaggio’s Bacchus in Florence
Many of you will know Caravaggio’s 'Bacchus', the wonderful painting depicting the God of wine and tipsiness, made between 1596 and 1957 and currently housed in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Well, it seems that this art work conceals a secret: inside the canvas, a self-portrait of the author is apparently disguised. Probably Caravaggio considered the painting so important as to feel the need to embed in it an image of himself...
But first things first. The painting, commissioned by cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte as a gift for Ferdinando I de 'Medici, was initially intended for the Villa d'Artimino and was later placed in the grand-ducal collections of the Uffizi. Subsequently it was abandoned and left forgotten in the warehouses of Via Lambertesca where, in 1913, the historian Matteo Marangoni unearthed it. And it was he, who during a restoration of the painting, noticed the image of a small head reflected on the wine jug: the face and the somatic features, very similar to those of Caravaggio, led the scholar to affirm that it was in reality a self-portrait, as confirmed by a group of experts who have recently investigated the case.
To the naked eye, the painting does not actually reveal much: looking carefully at the jug of the wine, located at the bottom left of the painting, you can only see a small shape with unclear outlines. But thanks to the use of modern and sophisticated techniques of radiodiagnostic investigation, the image has been made much sharper but above all much more detailed.
The merit goes to restorer Roberta Lapucci who, during a careful study, using multispectral reflectography, was able to clearly identify a male person with a straight bust and stretched arm. But that’s not all: next to it is a small stand, an inconspicuous but important detail that has confirmed the conjecture: this is a self-portrait of Caravaggio at work with a brush in his hand, made at the age of twenty-five.
Interesting, don’t you think? Florence is not just the 'Cradle of the Renaissance', it is also a city that enshrines many secrets, anecdotes and century-long traditions. If you want to discover them, we suggest you take part in our 'Private tour among the mysteries of Florence': our local expert guides will accompany you to discover the best-kept secrets concealed in the iconic places of the city.
- Google+
- tumblr
Search posts
Latest posts
Siena: Ricciarelli: Siena’s sweets hailing from the far East.

Local Traditions
Alongside panforte, they are among Siena’s sweets that best represent the city. Just thinking about their orange and vanilla scent, s...
ViewFlorence: Who invented the bistecca alla fiorentina?

Local Traditions
The Florentine beefsteak is the undisputed queen of Tuscany’s gastronomy. Including the bone, and strictly cooked in ‘blood’ (i.e...
ViewTuscany: Ferdinando Innocenti: the inventor of the Lambretta.

Big Names
There is no doubt that Tuscany is a land of inventors. Just think of Leonardo da Vinci! Ferdinando Innocenti is also one of them. Do yo...
ViewFlorence: Negroni was born in Florence!

Did you know that...
Now that Mojito and Moscow Mule are all the rage as aperitifs, there are classic cocktails that have stood the test of time and moods. ...
ViewTop posts
Arezzo: Guido d'Arezzo and the invention of the music

Big Names
In Talla and surroundings people have no doubt: the inventor of the musical stave, the inventor of the music notes and also of the mode...
ViewPistoia: The Kiss of the Christs in Gavinana

Local Traditions
It is a very ancient but still popular rite. Two large processions that meet up with a Christ on the cross in front of each one: the he...
ViewSiena: Piero Carbonetti and his tin drum

Local Traditions
Subversive, persecuted, anarchist, homeless, dreamer: it is really difficult to define Piero Carbonetti, Tuscan bred and born and Garib...
ViewPisa: Kinzika, the young woman who saved Pisa from the Saracens

Local Traditions
It was really her, a young woman with an Arabian name, Kinzica, of the noble Sismondi family, to save Pisa from being sacked by Saracen...
View