Bacchus in London – “Excavating” in archives VI

The author examines early illustrations of the Bacchus mosaic from Leadenhall Street, which came to public notice in 1803, though probably discovered at an earlier date. She gives particular attention to an engraving by James Basire based on a drawing by Thomas Fisher, and to watercolours now in North Lincolnshire Museum; she deduces that the head of Bacchus was badly restored after its discovery, and that this restoration is reflected in the better known engraving by John Roffe based on a drawing by Edward Lapidge (which seems also to have introduced further inaccuracies). She also discusses the central figure of the Old Broad Street mosaic and reinforces her earlier arguments for identifying this as Bacchus reclining on the back of a panther rather than Europa being abducted by a bull.