Europa and the Bull
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Object Label
Ancient Greek mythology tells of how Zeus—the king of the gods—transformed into a bull to abduct the princess Europa. Here, she gently touches the bull’s tongue and rides high on his back. This appears to emphasize her empowerment in a story that, like so many ancient myths, has sexual violation at its core.
According to some ancient narratives, Europa’s father was from the eastern Mediterranean and her mother was Egyptian. Zeus carried Europa from Phoenicia (present-day Lebanon) west to Crete, where their son established the Minoan dynasty that became the foundation of all subsequent European civilizations north of the Mediterranean. The European continent was named after Europa, making her Middle Eastern and African roots, and her forced immigration, integral parts of Europe’s origin story.
Caption
Carl Milles Swedish, 1875–1955. Europa and the Bull, 1923–1924. Bronze, Other: 30 1/2 x 12 3/4 x 26 3/4 in. (77.5 x 32.4 x 67.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Lydia Richardson Babbott Fund, 33.288. © artist or artist's estate (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.288_PS11.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Artist
Title
Europa and the Bull
Date
1923–1924
Medium
Bronze
Classification
Dimensions
Other: 30 1/2 x 12 3/4 x 26 3/4 in. (77.5 x 32.4 x 67.9 cm)
Credit Line
Lydia Richardson Babbott Fund
Accession Number
33.288
Rights
© artist or artist's estate
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Frequent Art Questions
Are the large bronze vases by Carl Milles? How did they come to be here?
Yes, they are by Carl Milles, what a good eye! They were actually purchased from the artist's estate by the Brooklyn Museum.Is Carl Milles a favorite artist of yours? I'm always impressed when people can name an artist - especially looking at something so far away!There are a pair of his urns at my husband's school, Cranbrook, in Michigan. They made quite an impression on us!Oh wow, that's amazing! I'm glad you found more here, as well. We also have a sculpture by Milles, 'Europa and the Bull,' now on view in the Beaux-Arts Court on the 3rd floor. Milles created many works for gardens especially those in his native Sweden. His work was often inspired by classical sculpture following his long sojourn in Italy. Here the swimming figures, fish and sea animals suggest that these vases might have been created for garden by the water.That's at Cranbrook, too! He was artist in residence there at the same time Sarinen did the architecture.Very interesting, I had no idea!Who is Europa?
Europa is a Greek mythological princess of Phoenicia, who was famously abducted by the god Zeus, and eventually gave the name to the continent of Europe . Zeus spotted the princess playing on the shores of her kingdom (in the modern-day Middle East), and decided to come down in the form of a gentle, white bull. Unkowingly, the young princess played with the bull and sat on its back, at which point the beast swam into the sea, taking the princess to the shores of Crete (in modern day Greece, Europe).Tell me more.
This is one of my favourite sculptures! It is a reduced bronze version of one made for a fountain in Halmstad, Sweden. I love the way that Zeus (in the form of a bull) seems tamed by Europa. This is different than the traditional depiction of the myth that shows the god overpowering her.Do you know about the princess associated with Europa and the Bull? It’s kind of erotic looking.
Sure! This comes from an ancient Greek myth of Europa and the Bull:Europa was the daughter of the king of Phoenicia. She was very beautiful, and Zeus, the king of gods, approached her in the form of a white bull and carried her away, over the sea from Phoenicia (now known as Lebanon) to Crete.Europa eventually had three sons with Zeus. He was quite the notorious seducer...to put it kindly!LOL, those Greeks...I have never seen a version of The Rape of Europa that is so sexualized! It is so eerie - that whole tongue thing.
Ever since the Renaissance, many European artists have maintained a rosy and romanticized idea of the Classical period and its tales. Sometimes this manifested in pretty extreme ways!Thanks.I’ve never heard of this artist. Can you tell me a bit more about him?
Milles was born in Sweden and began his study there. He won a grant to study in Paris and exhibited at the Paris Salon while there. He lived in Munich for a few years before settling in the US.So was he a successful artist? I’ve just never heard of him.Yes! He is best known for his public monuments, Europa and the Bull was actually commissioned for the city of Halmstead, Sweden. Just outside of this museum, there are two large scale cauldron-like sculptures also by Milles.His home near Stockholm has become a museum, CarlMillesgården.Thanks, I’ll look him up.I noticed that the Europa and the Bull sculpture in the European Art gallery is very similar to sculptures of Mithras like this one in the Princeton University Art Museum.
Could the artist be engaging with Mithraic imagery (the bull, general positioning, the billowing cloak)?I certainly see the similarity in the composition! Milles was definitely looking to Classical art for both subject matter and visual inspiration.It looks like there are many similarities between ancient images of Europa and Mithras. It is even possible that the cult of Mithras, which developed relatively late in Classical history, borrowed from earlier depictions of Europa and the bull. Given that, it is almost impossible to tell if the similarity in Milles's work is intentional.Thank you!
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