Rape of Proserpine
ca. 1509
Medium
Fresco, transferred to canvas and attached to wood panels
Dimensions
Overall: 31 × 31 3/4 in. (78.7 × 80.6 cm)
Classification
Paintings-Decorative
Culture
Italian, Umbria
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1914
Accession Number
14.114.5
Tags
Art Historical Context
This vibrant fresco by Pinturicchio captures the dramatic abduction of Proserpine (Persephone) by Pluto, a central episode from classical mythology. Created around 1509 in Umbria, the scene shows the god of the underworld sweeping the young goddess into his chariot amid rearing horses and distressed figures, conveying both movement and emotional intensity. Pinturicchio, a leading Umbrian painter of the Renaissance, was celebrated for his luminous colors and narrative clarity, often drawing on ancient texts to bring mythological stories to life for educated patrons. Originally painted directly...