Raub Der Proserpina 

Joseph Anton Koch created ‘The Abduction of Proserpina’ using oil on canvas. From a distance, one is struck by its dramatic use of light and shadow, where warm, earthy tones dominate, giving the scene a sense of foreboding. Koch constructs a visual dialogue between chaos and order, depicting Pluto’s forceful abduction of Proserpina. Koch positions Proserpina’s mother in the lower left corner, creating a clear visual structure and imbuing it with emotional intensity. The landscape mirrors the emotional turbulence of the figures. Koch uses the sublime power of nature, particularly the erupting volcano, to explore themes of power, fate, and the disruption of natural order. The painting does not offer a singular interpretation; rather, it invites us to question the relationships between power, nature, and human emotion. Through the formal arrangement of shapes and the symbolic use of color, Koch creates a landscape that reflects complex philosophical ideas.