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Open 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Visit
Open today 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Admission is always free

6th and Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20565

Sculpture Garden Extended Hours

Open late until 8:00 p.m. on select nights
Through September 5
Exhibitions & Events
America’s 250th

Celebrating American art and artists
Art & Artists
Open Call

Artists Reimagining the Collection
Meet the 50 makers selected from more than 1,600 submissions

Bacchanalian Frieze

mid 17th century

Gerard van Opstal

Associated Names

Gerard van Opstal

Artist, Flemish, c. 1605 - 1668

The sculpture depicts six cherubic children surrounding a reclining, bearded, adult male figure with visible goat legs and small horns, alongside a nearby goat. The children interact with the central figure and the goat in various postures, creating a lively scene. The piece is carved from a pale, creamy material with a smooth, finely detailed texture. The overall sculpture presents an intricate arrangement of figures, capturing a harmonious and playful moment.

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Artwork overview

Medium

ivory
Credit Line

Gift of Robert H. Smith/Robert H. Smith Collection
Dimensions

overall: 11.5 × 30 × 2.5 cm (4 1/2 × 11 13/16 × 1 in.)
Accession Number

2022.181.79

Artwork history & notes

Bibliography

2015

Schmidt, Eike D., et al. Bronze, Boxwood, and Ivory in the Robert H. Smith Collection of Renaissance Sculpture. London, 2015: 2, 5, 62, 67-69, repro. no. 79, inside front cover.

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