Selene and Endymion, design for a ceiling painting 1655 - 1726

Alessandro Gherardini's "Selene and Endymion, design for a ceiling painting" (1655-1726) is a preparatory drawing for a ceiling painting. The scene depicts the Greek mythological story of Selene, the moon goddess, and Endymion, a shepherd whom she falls in love with and grants eternal youth. The composition features a dynamic arrangement of figures against a blue-gray background, with Selene's crescent moon glowing brightly in the center of the design. The drawing is a powerful demonstration of Gherardini's skill in capturing the drama and emotion of a mythological narrative. This work is housed in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark.