, page 154 [Transcribers
Note: Plate XXXIV], would be too gross, were it not for the steadying
influence of the horizontal lines in the sky and the vertical lines of
the tree-trunks.

While speaking of this picture, it might not be out of place to mention
an idea that occurred to me as to the reason for the somewhat aggressive
standing leg of the female figure with the cymbals leading the
procession of revellers. I will not attempt any analysis of this
composition, which is ably gone into in another book of this series. But
the standing leg of this figure, given such prominence in the
composition, has always rather puzzled me. I knew Titian would not have
given it that vigorous stand without a good reason. It certainly does
not help the run of the composition, although it may be useful in
steadying it, and it is not a particularly beautiful thing in itself, as
the position is one better suited to a man's leg than to a woman's. But
if you cover it over with your finger and look at the composition
without it, I think the reason of its prominence becomes plainer. Titian
evidently had some trouble, as well he might have, with the forward leg
of the Bacchus. He wished to give the look of his stepping from the car
lightly treading the air, as gods may be permitted to do. But the wheel
of the car that comes behind the foot made it difficult to evade the
idea that he was stepping on it, which would be the way an ordinary
mortal would alight. I think the duty of the aggressive standing leg
of the leading Bacchante, with its great look of weight, is to give a
look of lightness to this forward leg of Bacchus, by contrast--which it
certainly does. On examining the picture closely in a good light, you
will see that he has had the foot of Bacchus in several positions before
he got it right. Another foot can distinctly be seen about a couple of
inches or so above the present one. The general vertical direction of
this leg is also against its look of lightness and motion, tending
rather to give it a stationary, static look. I could not at first see
why he did not bring the foot further to the right, which would have
aided the lightness of the figure and increased its movement. But you
will observe that this would have hurled the whole weight of the mass of
figures on the right, forward on to the single figure of Ariadne, and
upset the balance; as you can see by covering this leg with your finger
and imagining it swinging to the right.