Bacchus, Ceres and Amor

The link between the wine god Bacchus and Ceres, goddess of the field fruits, is reminiscent of the theme from Terenz, “Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus” (Without Bread and Wine, Love Freezes). Aachen lends his own and his wife’s features to the mythological figures. The boy resembles Aachen’s son. The motive could hint at the famous painting by the Greek painter Zeuxis who painted a boy with grapes so convincingly that birds picked at the painted fruits.