Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Francesco Albani (Bologna 1578 - 1660) Follower of
The Rape (or Abduction) of Europa
Oil on panel
44 x 53 cm with gilded wooden frame (19th century) 61 x 71 cm
The work depicts an episode from Greek mythology recounting one of Jupiter's many amorous adventures: the abduction of Europa, daughter of the king of Tyre, a city in Phoenicia, as described by the Latin poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses (Met. II, vv. 846-875).
The work can be attributed to an artist who followed the stylistic and compositional models of Francesco Albani (Bologna 1578 - 1660), who was active among his followers between the 17th and 18th centuries.
A disciple of Annibale Carracci, Albani is considered, along with Domenichino and Guido Reni, one of the leading exponents of Bolognese classicism, which was in great demand among the cultured patrons of the time.
Thanks to a style characterised by idyllic compositions that were therefore pleasing to the most intimate tastes of the patrons, the majority of the Albani workshop's production can be found in mythological paintings.
Looking at the painting in detail, we see the exciting moment when Zeus, having transformed himself into a beautiful white bull, kidnaps the beautiful Phoenician princess Europa and flees to the island of Crete.
The girl, dressed in a long deep blue robe, is overwhelmed by the event and turns her gaze towards her maidservants still on the shore.
She holds on to the horns of the bull, which runs impetuously through the rough waves of the sea, while four fluttering cherubs help the cunning Zeus in his endeavour: one supports the princess, another holds the reins of flowers, and another holds a fluttering red cloth, a device often used by Albani to emphasise movement.
The composition, in particular, draws inspiration, albeit with variations, from the Rape of Europa preserved in the Uffizi Gallery, created by Albani in 1639 for Count Angelo Oddi of Perugia (https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rape_of_Europa_-_Francesco_Albani.jpg).
Many versions were based on the Uffizi version, as the canvas remained in Albani's workshop for a long time, including the one in the Roman collection of Marquis Patrizio Patrizi, and the versions in the Louvre and the Colonna Gallery in Rome.
These compositions were hugely successful with critics and were highly praised by European collectors for their aesthetic and decorative value.
In our case, the canvas is accompanied by a pleasant 19th-century carved and gilded wooden frame.
Delevery information :
We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
We take great care We personally take care of the packaging, to which we devote a great deal of care: each work is carefully packed, first with arti- cle material, then with a custom-made wooden box.
Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
