Ontvoering van Europa 1682

Curator: "Ontvoering van Europa," or "The Abduction of Europa," an engraving made in 1682 by Valentin Lefebvre. At first glance, a scene of chaos unfolds, dominated by a cluster of figures and a prominent bull. What strikes you about this composition? Editor: The busyness, definitely. And it’s all in monochrome, so it’s harder to visually separate. The figures are all clamoring around each other. What story is being told here? Curator: The story itself is deeply rooted in myth, but how does Lefebvre's rendition speak to the sociopolitical landscape of 17th-century Europe? Consider the act of "abduction" - isn't it a euphemism for colonial appropriation, for power imbalances enacted upon the vulnerable? Europa, after all, is not merely being "taken"; she's being violently displaced, her identity subsumed. How does this reframing resonate with contemporary discussions of migration, borders, and cultural imperialism? Editor: So, you are saying this is not simply a classical myth but reflects issues of power, displacement and a kind of early colonialism? I hadn’t thought about the myth as having any link to this era or to contemporary issues, only as a story from long ago. Curator: Precisely! The classical informs the contemporary. What do you make of Europa's central position, surrounded by these… attendants? Is she complicit? Or is this a dramatization of resistance? It is a charged narrative isn't it? Also consider the symbolism of the bull—its association with fertility, but also with untamed power, further complicating the gendered and political dynamics at play. Editor: It does, it adds layers. I thought it was a bull because Zeus transformed himself into one. But thinking about the other implications, the image raises a lot more questions. It feels less like a passive retelling of a myth and more like an active commentary. Curator: Yes, the engraving challenges us to examine these classical narratives critically and to recognize their potential to both reflect and perpetuate troubling social structures. Editor: Thank you. I appreciate how this context informs the way one can view the engraving today and what discussions it could initiate.