Tiziano Vecelli - Rape of Europe 1559-1562
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Rape of Europe 1559-1562
185x205cm oil on canvas
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
The image is only being used for informational and educational purposes
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The title of the painting refers to the mythological story of the abduction of Europa by Zeus (Jupiter to the Romans), Titian is unequivocal about the fact that this is a scene of rape (abduction): Europa is sprawled helplessly on her back, her clothes in disarray. In the myth, the god assumed the form of a bull and enticed Europa to climb onto his back. Once there, the bull rode into the sea and carried her to Crete, where he revealed his real identity. Europa became the first Queen of Crete, and had three children with Zeus. The painting depicts Europa on the back of the bull, just off the shore of her homeland.