The Abduction of Europa

The Abduction of Europa is a mythological painting that captures the moment when Zeus, disguised as a white bull, seizes the Phoenician princess and carries her across the sea. The canvas fills the space with multiple figures, rushing movement, and rich colors to convey the chaos of the abduction scene.

Jean-François de Troy created this painting in 1716 after returning from Italy, a period when he devoted himself to mythological subjects with great energy. This formative time shaped how he approached dramatic narratives and established his reputation in the art world.

This painting shows a scene that captivated European artists for centuries: the moment when the divine disrupts human life through disguise and force. The work portrays this meeting of mortal and immortal realms through the portrayal of an ancient Greek myth that artists returned to repeatedly.

The painting is housed in the European Art section of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and can be viewed during regular opening hours. It helps to check in advance which gallery rooms the work occupies, as paintings are sometimes moved for conservation or display changes.

An inscription carved directly on the tree trunk within the painting displays the date 1716, signing the work right on the canvas itself. This unconventional dating method makes the painting self-documenting, requiring no external records to verify its authenticity and creation year.