An early work commissioned for a sculpture garden, Bacchus was supposed to resemble an ancient work. This Roman god of wine is unstable, as if defying gravity. Unlike the heroic, masculine nudes of Michelangelo's maturity, Bacchus seems androgynous, with soft rather than muscular flesh.
The satyr, necessary as a support, replaces the tree trunk used in antique works. The satyr also helps to move the eye around the work which has several viewing points.
