[1][2] Once thought to be an allegory of the five senses, it may depict a festival held by the Amsterdam Guild of Saint Luke, a celebration of the Bentvueghels, or a meeting of the Chamber of Rhetoric.

[4] The Dutch poet Joost van den Vondel wrote a short poem, "On the Triumph of Bacchus, for Jacob Faes by Philips Koninck", about it in 1654.

[12] Art historian Willem R. Juynboll thought that the painting possibly depicted a celebration of the Bentvueghels, a society of Dutch and Flemish artists living in Rome.

[4][13] It may also depict a Chamber of Rhetoric meeting, similar to several paintings by Steen or one attributed to Hendrik Gerritsz Pot, which showed a dispute among the "poets of Bacchus".

[14] The painting went viral after the NFL Divisional playoff game played between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills on January 21, 2024.