Another narrative painter in Germany around the turn of the 20th century, he is known for his symbolism and femmes fatales.
narrative
The grandson of the founder of Thebes suffers a grisly fate when he stumbles across the goddess Diana bathing naked.
The slaying of a dragon/serpent, and transformation of its teeth into warriors, make for five superb paintings spanning most of the story.
Less than 30 lines of the book are devoted to the abduction of Europa, which has become its best-known and most-often painted story.
Two turned to stone: Battus for betraying Mercury, and Aglauros for obstructing Mercury’s courting of Herse, and her jealousy.
No less than 6 different stories, 4 transformations, 5 wonderful paintings, all from less than 150 lines of Latin verse.
Rape, ejection from society, transformation into a bear, then into a constellation: poor Callisto, but some superb narrative paintings.
One of the most dramatic and vivid myths, causing a ‘Great Fire’ which matches the Flood. Superb paintings from Rubens, Poussin, Moreau.
Probably the most sustained and brilliant series of narrative paintings since Rembrandt.
Comparison across a selection of his self-portraits and nudes shows how dramatically his style changed through his career.
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