Maerten de Vos: The Abduction of Europa (1590)

(Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, Bilbao, Spain)

A painting by the Flemish artist Maerten de Vos (1531 or 1532 - 1603). This painting shows a scene from Greek mythology. Europa was a Phoenician princess who was probably the daughter of the daughter of King Agenor of Tyre. The god Zeus was enamoured of Europa and decided to seduce or rape her. He transformed himself into a white bull and mixed in with her father's herds. While Europa and her servants were gathering flowers, she saw the bull, caressed his flanks, and eventually got onto his back. Zeus took that opportunity and ran to the sea and swam, with her on his back, to the island of Crete. He then revealed his true identity, and Europa became the first queen of Crete. After arriving in Crete, Europa had three sons fathered by Zeus: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon, the three of whom became the three judges of the Underworld when they died. Painting from 1590.