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Europa

Print
10/12/1776 (published)
Artist/Maker
Smith, John Raphael (engraver)
Boydell, John (publisher)
Cosway, Richard (RA) (artist)
Place of origin
London (published)

Print showing the figure of Europa as a female, her breasts bare, sitting sideways on the back of a bull in the sea and reaching towards her maidens in the distance. Beneath are two cupids, one looking to front and sitting on the back of a dolphin, the other in the sea with his back to the viewer. In the right background are Europa's maidens, standing on the shore.


Object details

Categories
Prints
Myths & Legends
Object type
Print
TitleEuropa (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Mezzotint
Mezzotint
Brief description
'Europa'. Print showing Europa carried away across the sea on the back of a bull. Mezzotint by John Raphael Smith after Richard Cosway, 1776.
Physical description
Print showing the figure of Europa as a female, her breasts bare, sitting sideways on the back of a bull in the sea and reaching towards her maidens in the distance. Beneath are two cupids, one looking to front and sitting on the back of a dolphin, the other in the sea with his back to the viewer. In the right background are Europa's maidens, standing on the shore.
Dimensions
  • Height: 27.9cm
  • Width: 38.1cm
Dimensions taken from Victoria & Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1963. London: HMSO, 1964.
Style
British School
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Painted by R. Cosway. Engraved by J. R. Smith. Published Decr. 10th. 1776 by J. Boydell Engraver in Cheapside London.' (Lettered with title and)
  • (Stamped with the mark of the collection of F. Bernstein (first quarter of 20th century) (Lugt 982b))
Credit line
Given by Mrs E. B. Westwood
Subjects depicted
Women
Bull
Sea
Sea Shore
Cupids
Garland
Dolphin
Europa
Jupiter
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1959 . London: HMSO, 1964.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.568-1959

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O568564/europa-print-smith-john-raphael/
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