The Rape of Europa
About this artwork
Ovid describes in the Metamorphoses how the mortal Europa was abducted and seduced by the god Jupiter in the guise of a bull. This is a faithful but much reduced copy of a painting from the workshop of Paolo Veronese, now in the Gemäldegalerie in Dresden. It was almost certainly commissioned from Tiepolo by the distinguished Venetian scholar and collector Count Francesco Algarotti (1712-1764), who acted as artistic advisor to Augustus III of Saxony. In 1743 Algarotti purchased the Dresden Rape of Europa - then thought to be by Veronese himself - on behalf of his patron, and presumably asked Tiepolo to copy it before it was sent off.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696 - 1770) Italian
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title:The Rape of Europa
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date created:About 1743
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after:Paolo Veronese (Caliari) (about 1528 - 1588) Italian
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materials:Oil on canvas
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measurements:74.30 x 66.10 cm; Framed: 88.00 x 79.20 x 6.10 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Sir Steven Runciman Bequest, 2001
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accession number:NG 2721
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gallery:
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Tiepolo was the outstanding Venetian artist of the eighteenth century. Many of his best works - large, light- filled, colourful and imaginative frescoes, have survived on the walls and ceilings of the villas and palaces for which they were painted. His fluid, rapid style made possible his prolific...