Giovane Ganimede 1983

Carlo Maria Mariani created this ethereal portrayal of "Giovane Ganimede" with watercolor and pencil. The central figures are Ganymede, his youthful form luminous against the backdrop, and the eagle, a symbol of Zeus, king of the gods. Ganymede's story, immortalized in classical art, echoes through time. We see echoes of this abduction in Renaissance paintings, like Correggio’s depiction where Ganymede is carried away, and the Baroque drama of Rubens, where the scene is imbued with dynamic movement. This eagle, this raptor, assumes a charged role across cultures, from heraldic emblems of power to the subconscious symbol of spiritual ascent. The motif resurfaces, each time tinged with the anxieties and aspirations of its age. Consider the emotional weight of such a composition. This yearning for transcendence and divine connection speaks to deep-seated psychological desires, where ancient myths become vessels for our collective unconscious. Each artist, each epoch, reimagines these symbols, revealing the enduring human quest for meaning, beauty, and perhaps, an escape from earthly bounds.