Bacchus was painted shortly after Caravaggio joined the household of his first important patron, Cardinal Del Monte, and reflects the humanist interests of the Cardinal's educated circle. Caravaggio moved into the Palazzo Madama in 1596 and remained a guest of the cardinal for five years. Del Monte held a passion for the arts and requested multiple paintings from Caravaggio including Medusa. The cardinal was a fan of classical greek mythology and used allegorical images to emphasize his knowledge of art, music, and theater. Both Bacchus and Medusa were donated by the cardinal to the Medici family and have remained in Florence ever since. Del Monte's early support and guidance brought wealth and recognition to Caravaggio, making him one his most important patrons. Model The model for Bacchus might have actually been Caravaggio's pupil, Mario Minniti, whom he had used as a model in The Musicians, Boy with a Basket of Fruit, The Fortune Teller, Lute Player, and The Calling of Saint Matthew. There was speculation that Caravaggio and Minnit's relationship was that of a sexual nature. Paintings that he modeled for could be seen as having a homoerotic quality. Especially in Bacchus, the lounging model is inviting the viewer into the scene with a glass of wine and a basket of ripe fruits while his robe slips off. Caravaggio was known for staging scenes, including the models and painting them in costume, doing away with the need to sketch the scene from his mind before applying paint to canvas. Some critics, such as Giovanni Baglione, believed that Caravaggio used himself as the model. During 1595 he would have been twenty-four and could have played up his youthful features for this work. Bacchus is offering of the wine with his left hand, despite the obvious effort this is causing the model. This has led to speculation that Caravaggio used a mirror to assist himself while working from life, doing away with the need for drawing. It is believed that Caravaggio was unable to paint the human figure without a model in front of him. Criticism Giovanni Baglione Painter and rival of Caravaggio, Giovanni Baglione believed that this image of Bacchus is actually a self portrait. He argues that Caravaggio positioned a mirror in front of himself while he painted the scene. Baglione is considered to be part of the Caravaggisti, a group of artists and art appreciators who followed Caravaggio and