The Phoenician princess Europa was abducted by Zeus, who transformed into a white bull to approach her while she was gathering flowers on the shore. These flowers are translated in the painting through acid etching, where you can see roses, saffron, mayflowers, and carnations. Captivated by his beauty, she sat on his back as the bull ran to swim across the sea of Crete where she became a queen and Zeus gave her name to the continent of Europe.

to be wanted is to be taken ; study of Rape of Europe by Titian

Zeus was entranced by Leda's beauty and disguised himself as a swan. This story is often depicted as a scene of seduction or a violent, non-consensual act, with some interpretations focusing on the violation. Zeus the rapes Leda, and she becomes impregnated with eggs from which hatched Helen (later of Troy), Clytemnestra, and the Dioscuri twins, Castor and Pollux. Acid etched flowers depict the story further by including bleeding hearts, blackberries, wolfsbane, and windflowers.

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Lauren Schelling

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