Rape of Proserpina 1745 - 1755

This sculpture, Rape of Proserpina, of uncertain date was made out of porcelain by the Doccia Porcelain Manufactory, active between 1737 and 1896. Doccia was one of the first porcelain factories in Italy, established during a period when European elites were fascinated by porcelain. The sculpture depicts a scene from Roman mythology in which Pluto, god of the underworld, abducts Proserpina. This dramatic tableau embodies the gendered power dynamics inherent in the original myth. The female body becomes a site of struggle between freedom and forced submission. The title itself, employing the term "rape," has been debated for its implications of forced violence. This piece invites us to consider how classical myths have been used to normalize sexual violence. The artist's choice to depict this scene in delicate porcelain also makes one consider how to create beauty from a narrative of trauma.