Jupiter and Callisto
1769
In this playful Rococo scene, we witness a divine case of mistaken identity with a very specific agenda. Jupiter, the king of gods, has disguised himself as the goddess Diana—notice the discarded arrows and leopard skin—to seduce the nymph Callisto, who is a follower of Diana and sworn to chastity. While the two embrace in a lush landscape, an eagle lurking in the clouds betrays Jupiter's true identity, and cherubs above fan the flames of passion. François Boucher, the ultimate favorite of Madame de Pompadour, perfectly captures the soft, pastel, and slightly cheeky spirit of 18th-century French art, though critics later called his work too frivolous.
- Technique
- Oil painting
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