The Abduction of Europa

David Teniers the Younger created "The Abduction of Europa" (1654–56), an oil painting on panel that depicts the mythological moment when Zeus, transformed into a bull, abducts Europa, a Phoenician princess. In the foreground, Europa is shown seated atop the bull, her flowing garments billowing in the wind. To the left, a group of women gestures dramatically, indicating their alarm at the abduction. The dramatic landscape features rocky terrains and flowing waters, illuminated by a golden sunlight that adds a dynamic contrast to the dark sea below. This work is among over 200 small-scale copies by Teniers documenting the art collection of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, serving as models for the printed catalogue *Theatrum Pictorium* (1660).

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