Jupiter en Io 1861 - 1889

Curator: What strikes me immediately about this etching is the subject’s yearning gaze. It's full of expectation. Editor: That's 'Jupiter en Io,' an etching made sometime between 1861 and 1889 by William Unger. It resides here in the Rijksmuseum. What do you make of Unger's printmaking here? Curator: It's exquisite. See how Unger used the etching technique to create this ethereal atmosphere, full of drama and romantic longing? The stark contrast of light and shadow only amplifies it. Editor: I am intrigued by how Unger captures the metamorphosis narrative, framing Io’s yearning with the landscape. This alludes to themes of transformation and destiny, so what meanings can we draw from Unger's artistic interpretation? Curator: Absolutely. To me, Io isn’t just looking up; she’s searching. Her posture, that exposed back, tells a tale of vulnerability. What does the landscape itself signify to you? Editor: The surrounding flora seems to echo Io’s emotional state – untamed, fertile, yet shadowed. And speaking of shadows, what a powerful rendering of Jupiter’s cloudy form! A hidden observer, just out of sight. Curator: Almost predatory. It gives me shivers, which I suspect is precisely Unger's intent. There's also something almost tragic about her acceptance, her complete surrender to fate, if you will. Editor: Indeed. The symbol of the nymph pursued becomes something more profound. Thank you. Looking at it now I feel, it evokes our own searches, those quiet moments of yearning when we look for guidance, meaning or hope in the immensity above. Curator: Agreed. A lovely, unsettling dance between vulnerability and destiny – very Unger.