Juno Complaining to Oceanus and Tethys about Callisto c. 1589

Hendrick Goltzius created this print, "Juno Complaining to Oceanus and Tethys about Callisto", in the late 16th century, a period defined by the rise of printmaking as a powerful means of circulating ideas. Here, Goltzius depicts a scene of divine conflict rooted in patriarchal power structures. Juno, the queen of the gods and symbol of marital fidelity, seeks redress from Oceanus and Tethys regarding her husband Jupiter's infidelity with the nymph Callisto. The print invites us to consider the status of women in a society governed by male desire and authority. Juno’s complaint speaks volumes about the limited recourse available to women, even goddesses, when confronted with male transgression. Callisto, the victim of Jupiter’s sexual predation, becomes the object of Juno’s wrath, underscoring the dynamics of female competition within patriarchal systems. Goltzius challenges viewers to consider the complexities of power, gender, and justice in a world shaped by divine, yet deeply human, failings.