Juno and Aeolus
Medium
Pen and brown ink, and brush and brown wash, with traces of black chalk, on cream laid paper laid, down on cream laid paper
Dimensions
32.8 × 28.3 cm (12 15/16 × 11 3/16 in.)
Classification
ink or chalk wash
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
105805
Art Historical Context
Francesco Solimena, a leading figure of the late Baroque period in Naples, created this dynamic drawing of *Juno and Aeolus*. The scene draws from classical mythology, likely inspired by Virgil’s *Aeneid*, in which the goddess Juno persuades Aeolus, keeper of the winds, to unleash a storm against her enemies. Solimena’s fluid lines and dramatic contrasts capture the tension and movement central to Baroque storytelling, reflecting his reputation for theatrical compositions that influenced generations of European artists. Executed in pen and brown ink with brush-applied washes over traces of bl...
About the Artist
Francesco Solimena · 1657–1747
Comment on works: History; Religious