Jupiter and Danaë
Medium
pastel manner on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 34.1 x 41.1 cm (13 7/16 x 16 3/16 in.) sheet: 43.5 x 55.7 cm (17 1/8 x 21 15/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Ivan E. and Winifred Phillips in memory of Neil Phillips
Accession Number
2005.55.1
Art Historical Context
In the opulent world of 18th-century French Roc art, *Jupiter and Danaë (1774) captures a timeless mythological tale from Ovid's *Metamorphoses*. Here, the god Jupiter descends upon the mortal princess Danaë in a shower of gold, seducing her in a scene of divine sensuality and luxury. Louis-Marin Bonnet, a master printmaker, created this work after François Boucher, the era's preeminent Rococo painter known for his playful, erotic depictions of classical myths. Boucher's original painting, with its swirling forms and sumptuous colors, exemplifies the movement's delight in pleasure and ornament...