Jupiter and Juno 

Agostino Carracci made this engraving of Jupiter and Juno sometime before 1602, depicting a scene of classical mythology. Carracci was working in Bologna at a time when the Catholic Church was reasserting its authority through the Council of Trent. Artists were encouraged to create uplifting images but Agostino often undermined the church's ideals. The classical subject matter may seem safe, yet the eroticism of the image challenges the conservative mood, particularly in its open display of male potency, and in Juno's ambiguous expression. This could be an ironic comment on marriage, power, and desire. To understand this work better, we might look at the prints and popular imagery circulating in Bologna at the time. Carracci's image reflects the social tensions of its time and reminds us that art is always shaped by the institutions and cultural forces around it.