This graphic artwork, 'The Rape of Europa,' is an aquatint and etching created in Paris between 1761 and 1762, based on a painting by Luca Giordano. It depicts a famous scene from Greek mythology, illustrating the story of Europa's abduction by Zeus disguised as a bull.
The artwork 'Porwanie Europy' (The Rape of Europa) is a significant graphic piece created by Jacques Firmin Beauvarlet in Paris between 1761 and 1762. It is an aquatint and etching executed on paper, with dimensions for the full sheet including mounting recorded as 50.3 x 59.8 cm. The composition itself, within the mounting light, measures 43.9 x 53.3 cm, derived from a painting by Luca Giordano from 1675-1677.
The subject matter is drawn from Greek mythology, specifically the story of Europa, daughter of King Agenor of Sidon, who was abducted by Zeus. The myth, famously retold by Ovid, describes Zeus transforming into a white bull to approach Europa while she was gathering flowers. The engraving captures the dramatic moment of her abduction. This scene was a popular motif in art history, with notable interpretations by artists such as Titian, Rubens, and Rembrandt. Beauvarlet's work is a faithful reproduction of Giordano's painting, and it was part of a series of four engravings made by Beauvarlet based on Giordano's works, which once adorned the interiors of the White House of the Belvedere in Łazienki Park.