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The Rape of Ganymede by Jupiter in the guise of an eagle carrying him into the heavens, his dog barking below

1542
Not on view
Between 1532 and 1533 Michelangelo created a number of highly finished mythological drawings for the young nobleman Tommaso de’ Cavalieri as tokens of his friendship. These chalk drawings acquired great fame and immediately after their execution became highly coveted objects among collectors. Representing Zeus in the form of an eagle abducting the beautiful shepherd, Michelangelo’s Rape of Ganymede was copied by engravers.
Silvia Bianchi considers this plate to be by Nicolas Beatrizet and thinks it is the original version. The is the first state of the engraving, the second of which had Lafreri's address in the lower right corner. The print is not catalogued in the standard print references (Bartsch, Robert-Dumesnil etc).

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Rape of Ganymede by Jupiter in the guise of an eagle carrying him into the heavens, his dog barking below
  • Artist: Nicolas Beatrizet (French, Lunéville 1515–ca. 1566 Rome (?))
  • Artist: After Michelangelo Buonarroti (Italian, Caprese 1475–1564 Rome)
  • Date: 1542
  • Medium: Engraving
  • Dimensions: Sheet: 16 3/4 × 10 15/16 in. (42.5 × 27.8 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1950
  • Object Number: 50.567.25
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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