I have chosen three images all depicting the kidnap of Europa. The first image is Titian's "Rape of Europa" from 1560. The second, "Abduction of Europa," was painted by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn in the year 1632. The last image is from Brian P. Kayser's science fiction ebook about Europa, published in 2012.
I have chosen these images because of how differently Europa is portrayed in the same scene, but painted over differing time periods. In Titian's painting, Europa appears to be afraid, screaming for help. She is barely holding on to the bull, and seems to be trying to escape, but with no success. In the next image, Europa looks afraid of what is to come. She helplessly looks back to shore, but does nothing to counteract her abduction. Finally, the modern image depicts Europa fearlessly smiling and leaning forward with excitement, a stark contrast to the previous two images. I believe the way Ovid describes Europa in the Metamorphoses is most accurately represented in the modern image of the scene of Europa's abduction. Ovid does not say Europa struggles against Jupiter, as Titian's depiction of the scene would suggest. In lines 874-875 Ovid says that "dextra cornum tenet, altera dorso/ inposita est; tremulae sinuantur flamine vestes" which means "the right hand holds the horn, positioned the other on the back/the trembling clothes are bending by means of the breeze." In this description, Europa in fact seems calm and powerful, embracing her future. It is true that Ovid does say in lines 873-874 "pavet haec litusque ablata relictum respicit" which means "that (girl) having been carried away is frightened/and looks back to the having been left shore." Although Ovid does admit Europa is afraid, he still ends the book with the description of Europa's clothes flapping in the wind, suggesting beauty and power. I believe this final description of Europa, calmly sitting on Jupiter's back with her clothes flapping in the wind, is the way Ovid intended her to be viewed. In addition, as the myth goes, Europa goes on to have three successful sons, become queen of Crete, and never is punished by Juno as most of Jupiter's lovers were. Because her abduction did not end badly, Ovid depicts her as in calm and looking forward to what would come ahead. Perhaps the reason Titian and Rembrandt do not show Europa as powerful is the way women are viewed in society. As women are thought of as more equal, Europa can be seen as more powerful and more in control of her own fate, as she was originally intended to be perceived. |