Astraias Abschied Von Den Hirten 

Salvator Rosa painted "Astraea's Farewell to the Shepherds," in the 17th century, an oil on canvas now housed in Vienna. At its heart, the painting depicts Astraea, the goddess of justice, departing from the earth, symbolized by her ascent into the heavens amidst swirling clouds. The figure of Astraea, descending from the clouds, is an echo of similar descents in antiquity, like Venus in Botticelli’s work, yet here, the emotional weight shifts. Her departure signifies a loss of innocence, justice, and a golden age, contrasting sharply with the mundane world of shepherds below. The motif of the departing goddess carries potent emotional connotations. It speaks to our collective memory of lost ideals and the inevitable decline from a state of grace. The longing for justice, deeply embedded in the human psyche, resurfaces across cultures and eras, each time colored by the specific anxieties and aspirations of its age. Rosa’s work serves as a poignant reminder of the cyclical nature of human history.