In Freya Sampson's novel The Lost Ticket, Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne is a central motif. The painting first comes up in a conversation between the character Frank and an admirer he encounters on the London 88 bus, and it continues to reflect relationships between characters throughout. The mythological relationship between Bacchus and Ariadne, as shown in the painting, symbolizes how love between two people can have an immortal quality. Knowing the mythology behind this work of art can provide a deeper understanding of how love is portrayed in the novel.

First, if you aren't well-versed in Greek mythology, you might be wondering exactly who Bacchus and Ariadne are. Ariadne, a goddess of fertility, is mainly known for her critical role in assisting the hero Theseus in slaying the Minotaur — the offspring of a bull and Ariadne's mother — and guiding him out of the labyrinth where the beast was kept. According to some versions of the myth, after receiving her help, ...