Abduction of Ganymede 

Giulio Romano rendered this drawing, Abduction of Ganymede, with pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash over traces of black chalk. The story comes from classical mythology, of Zeus, disguised as an eagle, abducting the beautiful young boy Ganymede to serve as his cupbearer. This drawing reflects the Italian Renaissance's fascination with classical antiquity and its myths, but there is an emotional ambiguity portrayed here in Ganymede's face. The young man appears to be surrendering to his fate, his bodily curves rendered with a soft eroticism. The drawing exists within a cultural context that celebrated male beauty, but also carried the complicated history of male power, privilege, and desire. Giulio Romano reworks traditional representations by embracing sensual, homoerotic themes. Romano's piece invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in stories of gods and mortals, and to reflect on the complexities of desire, beauty, and vulnerability.