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Black-Figure Trefoil Oinochoe (Wine Jug): Europa on Bull
Class of Vatican 440 (Greek, Attic)c. 530 BCE
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
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.
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Details
- Title: Black-Figure Trefoil Oinochoe (Wine Jug): Europa on Bull
- Creator: Class of Vatican 440 (Greek, Attic)
- Date Created: c. 530 BCE
- Physical Dimensions: Overall: 23.6 cm (9 5/16 in.)
- Provenance: (Mr. Mario de Ciccio, Naples, Italy, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art), The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Type: Ceramic
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1929.978
- Medium: ceramic
- Fun Fact: The continent of Europe takes its name from Europa, a Phoenician princess abducted by Zeus.
- Department: Greek and Roman Art
- Culture: Greek, Attic
- Credit Line: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
- Collection: GR - Greek
- Accession Number: 1929.978
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