Study for The Abduction of Ganymede 1635

This is Rembrandt van Rijn’s study for *The Abduction of Ganymede*. Rembrandt, working in the Dutch Golden Age, a period of immense cultural and economic growth for the Netherlands, here grapples with classical mythology through his distinctive lens. In this ink sketch, Ganymede, a beautiful boy, is seized by Zeus in the form of an eagle. Unlike traditional, often sensual, depictions of this scene, Rembrandt's Ganymede is no willing participant. Instead, we see a terrified, weeping child clutched in the eagle’s talons. The expressions of horror and helplessness are striking, challenging the heroic narratives often associated with classical themes. Rembrandt perhaps reflects on themes of vulnerability and power, using the mythological story to explore the raw, unfiltered emotions inherent in the loss of innocence.