Rape of Europa
1652-1705
Medium
Brush and brown oil paint, with black chalk, heightened with white oil paint, on cream laid paper, laid down on cream laid paper
Dimensions
17.3 × 23.6 cm (6 13/16 × 9 5/16 in.)
Classification
brush and ink
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
82179
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Among the most famous Baroque artists from Naples, Luca Giordano was nicknamed Luca fa presto (Luca creates quickly), which can be appreciated in the spontaneity of his draftsmanship as well as that of his paintings. Reminiscent of the famous Venetian painting by Titian, the drawing tells the story from Ovid’s Metamorphoses in which the god Jupiter takes on the form of a white bull in order to lure Europa away.
About the Artist
Luca Giordano · 1634–1705
Luca Giordano (1634–1705) was an Italian painter of the late Baroque period who was one of the most prolific and versatile artists of the seventeenth century, earning the nickname "Luca fa presto" ("Luca works fast") for his extraordinary speed of execution. Born in Naples, he studied under José de Ribera and traveled extensively in Italy, absorbing influences from the Venetian colorists, Pietro d...