Pompeii. Fresco of Europa on the Bull

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WHY BUY IT

• Magnificent, true-to-life colours
• Adds elegance to any room
• Perfect as a prestigious gift

The artwork

The fresco "Europa on the Bull", painted in the Fourth Pompeian Style, decorated the back wall of the oecus in the House of Jason in Pompeii. The work depicts the opening moment of the famous myth of Europa, daughter of the Phoenician king Agenor, abducted by Zeus in the form of a bull. At the centre of the scene, Europa is portrayed half-naked on the animal’s back, her cloak sensually raised and one hand resting on the bull’s horn. Around her, her handmaidens look on, showing curiosity and detachment, while in the background stands a rocky landscape with a column topped by an oak, the sacred symbol of Zeus.

The fresco, with its pyramidal composition, reflects Hellenistic models masterfully reworked, evoking the myth told by authors such as Ovid and Moschus. Zeus, attracted by Europa’s beauty, carried her to the island of Crete, where Minos, Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon were born, giving rise to a tale that, according to tradition, linked the myth of Europa to the origin of the name of the European continent.

FEATURES

Print on handmade paper from Amalfi with or without frame
Sheet size: 29 x 42 cm (11.4 x 16.5 in)
With frame: 31 x 44 cm (12.2 x 17.3 in);
Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges, handmade beech wood frame