The Abduction of Ganymede by Rembrandt van Rijn - 1635 - 1290 x 1770 cm Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden The Abduction of Ganymede by Rembrandt van Rijn - 1635 - 1290 x 1770 cm Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

The Abduction of Ganymede

oil on canvas • 1290 x 1770 cm
  • Rembrandt van Rijn - July 15, 1606 - October 4, 1669 Rembrandt van Rijn 1635
In classical poetry Ganymede is described as a beautiful youth, who was much loved by the gods as a cup-bearer. Jupiter himself had fallen in love with the boy, and after assuming the form of an eagle had kidnapped him from the Trojan plains. The painting has been interpreted in quite different ways: humanists saw the childlike pure soul loved by God in the figure of the small child Ganymede, while the motif of urination was believed to emphasize Ganymede's second nature as the zodiac sign Aquarius, the water bearer, who called for the growth of vegetation, other theories concentrate in the cherries. Anyways, in my opinion it is a quite funny painting. Ganymede doesn't look like he likes the whole situation but the way Rembrandt presented him always makes me laugh. -- It has been three years now since we deliver daily dose of art to more than 200.000 people all around the world. Now we ask for your help - we want to create new version of DailyArt but we need $15.000 to make it happen. On this website you will find the details and you can make a donation: http://support.getdailyart.com. Thank you!