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#542

The Abduction of Proserpine

Heintz, Joseph (1564-1609) | Painter

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In his Metamorphoses, Ovid described the abduction of Proserpine by the love-crazed Pluto. Viewed from below, four horses charge through the sky pulling a chariot. Descending from this, the god of the underworld dramatically snatches the daughter of Jupiter away from her female playmates. The dark sky already presages the consequences, when Proserpine’s mother Ceres will cause the Earth to be infertile. This painting on copper is one of the most famous works by this artist.

Material & Technique
Oil on copper
Museum
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
Dating
c. 1595
Inventory number
Gal.-Nr. 1971
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