Artwork
Jupiter and Semele
Jupiter and Semele is an unspecified painting by the High Baroque Italian artist Sebastiano Ricci. It dates from 1698 and is held in the collection of the Uffizi Gallery.
About this work
Overview
Jupiter and Semele is a 1698 painting by Sebastiano Ricci, a Venetian artist known for his dynamic style. The work is characteristic of the late Baroque period and is now held in the Uffizi Gallery.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a scene from mythology, showing Jupiter and Semele. Semele reclines on a couch, while Jupiter sits on a cloud in the background, creating a contrast between calm and turbulent elements.
Technique & Style
The painting employs chiaroscuro, with strong contrasts between light and dark, to create a dramatic effect and sense of depth. Ricci's use of light and shadow adds volume to the figures and draws the viewer's eye into the scene.
History & Provenance
Created in 1698, Jupiter and Semele is a product of Ricci's mature period, showcasing his skill as a painter. Ricci was part of a generation that bridged the late Baroque and early 18th-century Venetian art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sebastiano Ricci (1 August 1659 – 15 May 1734) was an Italian Baroque painter of the late Baroque period in Venetian painting.
The Goddess Juno entering the Mansion of Sleep
Diana and Endymion or Venus and Adonis
Tarquin and Lucretia
Perseus and Andromeda
Morpheus and Iris
Hercules Kicking Faunus out of Omfale's Bed
Cephalus and Procris
Aurora Taking Leave of Tithonus
The Birth of Minerva
The apotheosis of Emperor Leopold I
Death of King Candaules- Jupiter and Antiope