Greek, Attic / c. 530 BCE
Black-Figure Trefoil Oinochoe (Wine Jug): Europa on Bull
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Black-Figure Trefoil Oinochoe (Wine Jug): Europa on Bull as ceramic (Greek, Attic · c. 530 BCE).
The continent of Europe takes its name from Europa, a Phoenician princess abducted by Zeus.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this ceramic as ceramic and credits Class of Vatican 440 (Greek, Attic).
The museum's collection notes: Calmly seated sidesaddle on a bull, the woman depicted on the front of this small wine jug probably represents Europa, the Phoenician princess abducted by the Greek god Zeus. According to myth, Zeus either sent a bull or transformed himself into one, then carried Europa across the sea to Crete. There, she bore Zeus two or three sons, including the legendary king Minos. The bull ascended to the sky as the constellation Taurus.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtBlack-Figure Trefoil Oinochoe (Wine Jug): Europa on BullOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.