The oil on canvas “The Abduction of Europa” was created by the Dutch artist Rembrandt Harmensz and is displayed in The J. Paul Getty Museum (The Abduction of Europa 2011). Rembrandt attempted mythology rarely, and this was his one the finest piece based on the characters from an ancient Roman poem named Metamorphosis written by Ovid. In his poem, Ovid narrated a story about the god Jupiter, who concealed his identity and appeared as a white bull to seduce the princess Europa and take her to a faraway land to be named after her. Here in his painting, Rembrandt narrates the story through vivid gestures and images. When the viewer looks at the art work, he can see the canvas divided into two parts, one is the dark right side made of shadows of trees and foliage. The others side is where the drama takes place, and the characters are done in bright shades and color agents the dull gray sky. It is the color of the robes and gowns the woman wear that draws the main attention. Europa is shown grasping the bull's horn and digging her fingers into his neck. She turns her head to look at her escorts on the sea’s edge. She holds on to the bull tightly as he gallops away. Rembrandt does her gown in shades and tint of red, making it seem rich and heavy. A young woman is on the ground, dressed in blue and white, raising her arms in alarm. There is a horse carriage behind with four white horses and a man looking down at the Europa and a woman who sits near the carriage. The carriage driver is staring at the princess on the white bull in horror. He is almost hidden in the shadows of the tree, but one can make out his arm and face clearly. Another woman stands in a red and orange gown stands in the passion of uncertainty. Her dress is an elaborate one, and her golden hair is done in a certain way. The white horses make a nice contrast against the dark foliage. One of the horses turns his head slightly as if disturbed or keen to look at the drama unfolding on the scene. The background scene is of a city covered in mist extending along the horizon. One can make out the outline of the buildings and houses that are done in a single shade of brown. Rembrandt has used all the colors effectively enhancing each character and its placement in the painting. The dark color of trees to the right contrasts beautifully with the pink and blue portions of the sea and sky. Hues of yellow and orange representing sunlight breaking through the clouds and reflecting off the water, but the sky behind the trees represented by the color gray and blue represent the dark side of the story which is threatening and overpowering, the viewer can sense that the art piece is displaying a tragic tale. Glittering gold is used to highlight the carriage and costumes. The efficient use of colors brings the story of princess Europa alive. Rembrandt was known for his most prominent technique of chiaroscuro, which is the use of light and shadow in drawing and art. He is well known as a painter of light and shade who always tried for bringing unbending realism in his paintings (Rembrandt van Rijn 2016). In “The Abduction of Europa, one can see a fine interplay between light and dark not only work as elements of composition and space but also reveal the intricacy of the characters. It is the excellent effects of lights and shadows that make the art piece so full of life and emotionally appealing. The oil on canvas by Rembrandt is successful in creating an everlasting impression. He has used all elements of colors, shadows, and light plus the wonderful strokes with his brush to create a complete perspective in the background and foreground. His painting arises curiosity to know the tale of the lady on the white bull. The impressive use of colors makes the painting lively and visuals treat for the eyes. The painting raises awareness in his viewer about the mystical world of mythology which they have never visited and arouse a curious in them. Rembrandt exhibits his exceptional ability to paint people in their variety of moods and dramatic appearances in his painting “The abduction of the Europa.”
Works Cited
"The Abduction of Europa." The Paul Getty Museum. 2011. Web. 10 March. 2016.
"Rembrandt van Rijn." britannica. 2016. Web. 10 March. 2016.
