Rape of Europa c. 18th century

Curator: I find Nicolas Le Sueur’s "Rape of Europa" so compelling! It's currently part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It's... striking. That muted green palette creates a dreamlike, almost unsettling atmosphere. Like a hazy memory. Curator: The imagery, adapted from classical mythology, is so charged. Europa is abducted by Zeus, disguised as a bull! That transformation—the bull as a symbol of raw power... Editor: Exactly! The bull is often a symbol of virility, and the abduction is less about brute force and more about irresistible allure and the intoxicating power of transformation, of gods and mortals alike. Curator: Precisely! And the other figures, the cherubs and horn-blowers... it's like an operatic drama unfolding. I think what captivates me most is Le Sueur's rendering of Europa. There's a strange mixture of fear and acceptance on her face. Editor: That ambiguity makes it all the more potent. It's not just a tale of abduction, but one of destiny. It’s haunting, really, how these images speak to desires and fates that are outside of our control. Curator: It is haunting. It is as if we too are caught in the inescapable pull of this powerful and disturbing ancient narrative.