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The Women of Amphissa

Followers of Bacchus, the god of wine, awaken in the marketplace of Amphissa, Greece, where they have wandered from their home in Phocis during a night of ritual dancing. Amphissa and Phocis are at war, but the women of Amphissa graciously offer the bacchantes nourishment and protection. The painting illustrates an event recorded by the Greek historian Plutarch, which Alma-Tadema staged as a lesson in charity for his Victorian audience.

Credit: Acquired by the Clark, 1978...

1887
Oil on canvas
48.2 x 72.5in
1978.12
Image and text: The Clark Art Institute, 2024

Where you'll find this

The Clark
Permanent collection