At its core, the work explores the concept of liminality —the state of being between two stages. The adolescents are neither children nor adults; their revelry is a performance of freedom before the responsibilities of maturity set in. The "bacchanal" serves as a metaphor for the intoxicating, often overwhelming rush of youth.
(also known as the Madrid Album). During this period, Goya was increasingly disillusioned with Spanish society. These drawings served as a "journal" where he mocked the vices of the clergy, the nobility, and the common people. Grotesque Realism: Bacanal de Adolescentes.134
The numerical designation "134" typically refers to its placement within a specific "Catalogue Raisonné" or a museum inventory (such as those found in prominent European galleries). This numbering is crucial for art historians to distinguish this specific iteration from other sketches or thematic variations produced by the artist or their studio. It marks the work as a definitive point in the artist's exploration of pagan themes and anatomical study. Themes of Youth and Excess At its core, the work explores the concept
In entry 134, the arrangement of figures is typically chaotic yet rhythmic. The "adolescentes" are often depicted in a frieze-like layout, mirroring the relief carvings found on Roman sarcophagi. Key elements often include: (also known as the Madrid Album)