Andromeda Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)
Peter Paul Rubens – Andromeda
~1638. 189x94. State Museum Berlin
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Painter: Peter Paul Rubens
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Download full size: 2000×4035 px (1,8 Mb)
Painter: Peter Paul Rubens
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За что сковали Андромеду?
In Greek mythology, Andromeda is the daughter of Cassiopeia and King Cepheus of Ethiopia, blessed with extraordinary beauty from birth. When Andromedas mother boasted about her own beauty, claiming to be more beautiful than the sea goddesses, the Nereids, they complained to Poseidon, the god of the sea. The god avenged the insult by sending a flood and a terrible sea monster to devour people in Ethiopia.
According to an oracles prophecy, to save the kingdom from destruction, a sacrifice was required: Andromeda had to be offered to the monster. The girl was chained to a rock on the seashore. There, Perseus saw her while flying past with the head of Medusa, the Gorgon, in his hands. He fell in love with Andromeda and obtained the consent of the girl and her father for marriage if he defeated the monster. Perseus was able to defeat the dragon with the help of the severed head of Medusa; anyone who looked at her eyes would turn into stone.
Wow. So, Perseus first went down to talk to the chained girl about his feelings, then he flew back, which wasnt far, to ask his father for permission to marry her, and only then did he start fighting the sea serpent. The serpent must have been sitting there the whole time, waiting to see how the negotiations would end. And by the way! How did Andromeda figure out that she needed to close her eyes so she wouldnt turn into stone too?
You cannot comment Why?
The subtext of the painting lies in the dramatic portrayal of suffering, vulnerability, and impending doom. Andromedas nudity and her pose of helplessness emphasize her victimhood. The chains and the dark, ominous background contribute to the sense of despair. The presence of the cherub suggests a divine intervention or a glimmer of hope, though its efficacy is unclear. The overall composition and the intense emotional expression aim to evoke pity and perhaps a sense of the tragic fate of the innocent. The scene also subtly plays on the Renaissance/Baroque fascination with classical mythology and the dramatic potential of human suffering and salvation.