The Abduction of the Sabine Women
c. 1675
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
260 × 295 cm (102 × 116 in.); Framed: 296 × 327.1 × 11.4 cm (116 1/2 × 128 3/4 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
oil on canvas
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
111620
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Perhaps the most acclaimed and well-traveled artist in Italy at the end of the 17th century, Luca Giordano first emulated, then transformed the styles of numerous celebrated artists, including Peter Paul Rubens. Giordano’s artistic studies informed this monumental depiction of the myth of the founding of Rome. The Romans, plagued by a shortage of brides, invited the neighboring Sabines to a festival and then violently kidnapped their young women. Using the rapid, bold brushwork that earned him t...
About the Artist
Luca Giordano · 1634–1705
Luca Giordano (1634–1705) was an Italian painter of the late Baroque period who was one of the most prolific and versatile artists of the seventeenth century, earning the nickname "Luca fa presto" ("Luca works fast") for his extraordinary speed of execution. Born in Naples, he studied under José de Ribera and traveled extensively in Italy, absorbing influences from the Venetian colorists, Pietro d...