The Feast of the Gods

Alfonso d'Este commissioned the painting for his study in Ferrara. The subject comes from Ovid's Fasti, where a feast includes Priapus's attempt to approach the sleeping Lotis. Bellini created the original work, and Titian later altered it. Its present appearance preserves adaptation for a unified palace ensemble.

The gods sit among food and vessels. Jupiter, Neptune, and Apollo join the feast, attended by nymphs and satyrs.

At the right, Priapus bends toward the sleeping Lotis and attempts to lift her clothing. This threat gives the apparently quiet feast its narrative.

Craggy mountains rise behind the gathering. The landscape belongs to the history of later alterations adapting the painting to the study's other works.

Tall trunks enclose the right side. They establish a sheltered space around the gathering outdoors.

Dishes and utensils lie on the ground. The feast's details give the mythological scene a materially specific setting.

Bellini painted the work late in life, and Titian intervened afterward. The museum therefore credits both painters and gives the dates 1514 and 1529. Its form reflects a patron assembling several paintings within one room.