Koronis uciekająca przed Posejdonem: An 18th-Century Etching at Royal Łazienki Museum, Warsaw

This 1767-1771 etching by Jacques Le Roy and Jean Michel Moreau depicts the mythological story of Koronis, who fled the advances of Poseidon and was transformed into a crow by Athena. The artwork is a rare depiction of this specific metamorphosis.

The artwork 'Koronis uciekająca przed Posejdonem' (Koronis fleeing from Poseidon) is an etching created between 1767 and 1771, attributed to the engraver Jacques Le Roy and the draughtsman Jean Michel Moreau. Prepared for the publication 'Les Métamorphoses d’Ovide,' this print visualizes a less frequently depicted scene from mythology: the transformation of Koronis into a crow. The narrative follows Koronis, daughter of King Koroneus, who, after rejecting the affections of Poseidon, is saved from his unwanted advances by Athena, who metamorphoses her into a bird. The composition is notably dynamic, capturing Poseidon in pursuit with his trident, while Koronis is shown in mid-transformation, her arms raised and developing feathers. Above, Athena, depicted in armor with a shield, presides over the metamorphosis. The visual scheme draws parallels to the well-known myth of Apollo and Daphne, where Daphne was transformed into a laurel tree. This particular print is housed in the collection of the Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw, identified by the catalog number ŁKr 231.