The Abduction of Orithyia
1730
oil
From the collection of Walters Art Museum
1730
oil
From the collection of Walters Art Museum
This painting shows a dramatic scene with a man carrying a woman away. The man has wings and is holding the woman in his arms. She is reaching out to someone on the ground. There are other people around them, some looking up at the couple and others looking down. The background is a landscape with trees and a building. In the foreground, there are some objects on the ground, like a bowl and some cloth. The colors are muted, with lots of browns and grays. The overall mood is one of action and emotion. To learn more about the artist's use of chiaroscuro, look up Francesco Solimena.
