Juno asks Aeolus to raise a storm against the Trojan fleet, set within an elaborate frame, from "Loves, Rages and Jealousies of Juno" 1531 - 1576

Here, in this engraving by Giulio Bonasone, we see Juno, attended by handmaidens, imploring Aeolus to unleash his winds upon the Trojan fleet. Aeolus, the keeper of the winds, is shown holding a scepter, a symbol of his authority over the natural forces. The motif of a divine figure appealing to a personification of natural power echoes through art history, recalling similar scenes in ancient Greek vase paintings where gods interact with figures embodying rivers or mountains. Juno’s commanding gesture toward Aeolus is particularly striking. This echoes gestures found in Roman sculptures depicting emperors addressing their troops, a visual language of authority and command. Observe how this gesture persists, transformed, in later Renaissance paintings, where it often denotes power or divine intervention. Such persistent visual motifs reveal how deeply rooted are the archetypes of authority and the primal forces they attempt to control, a constant negotiation between human will and the elemental powers that govern our world.