Europa der Künigin in Creta das ist Candia · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Europa der Künigin in Creta das ist Candia
Subject: Europa; Important Women; Famous Women; Gods; Goddesses; Abduction; Jupiter; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology
Period: 1500-1550;
Geographic: Crete; Phoenicia; Ancient Greece
Description: This engraving illustrates the beautiful Europa being kidnapped by Jupiter. Europa is depicted sitting on a bull as the bull swims across the ocean. The bull is Jupiter in disguise. Jupiter had fallen madly in love with Europa and disguised himself as a bull and joined her father’s herd of cows. The god Mercury, who is visible on the left side of the engraving, led the flock to the shores of Phoenicia while Europa followed him. These cows are illustrated in the bottom left corner of the image. Boccaccio explains that once the cows were on the shores, Jupiter took Europa on his back and swam to Crete with her. Europa is depicted with a crown on her head to symbolize her royal status as queen of Crete and daughter of the king of Phoenicia.
Image Creator: Joerg Breu (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18252
Language: ger
Source Name: Ein schöne Cronica oder Hystoribuch von den fürnämlichsten Weybern [A beautiful chronicle or history book of reputable women]
Parent Collection: 1543 Stayner
Image: mta_18252_OBJ.jpg