The Abduction of Europa

Pierre-Paul Prud’hon was a Romantic painter and draftsman dearly admired by Eugène Delacroix. He is known for his classical mastery of the female figure and worked primarily on allegories, scenes from ancient mythology, and portraits. In The Abduction of Europa, one of the few prints Prud’hon published, the delicacy of the etching is evident. In this seemingly unfinished print, the naked Europa holds onto the bull in profile, with only her face elaborately rendered. The second and final state includes a publication inscription in the upper margin and the artist’s signature at the bottom.