Taurus
1600x1300mm
Oil on canvas
2026
First mentioned:
Hesiods Theogony ca. 730-700 BCE
The Story of Europa
Europa was a beautiful princess, daughter of the King of Tyre. One day, while gathering flowers with her companions along the shore, she noticed a magnificent white bull among the herds nearby. The bull was gentle and unusually beautiful, and Europa approached him without fear.
Unbeknownst to her, the bull was Zeus, who had transformed himself to conceal his identity. Europa climbed onto his back, and the moment she was seated, Zeus rose and carried her toward the sea.
He swam across the waters, taking Europa far from her homeland and toward the island of Crete. There, Zeus revealed himself to her and became her lover. Europa eventually became the mother of Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon, who would become great kings and heroes.
Her name was later associated with the land to the west of her homeland. The Greeks came to call this region Europa, preserving Europa's name in the name of the continent.
The image of the bull was placed among the stars, where it became the constellation Taurus.
