Jupiter and Io

Until 1866, this painting was attributed to Gaspard Dughet-Poussin, but art historian Gustav Waagen believed it to be the work of Jean François Millet. The artist shows an ideal landscape in the manner of Dughet, and enlivens it with a scene from the mythical tale of Jupiter and Io.
According to Ovid (Metamorphoses I, 584–750), Io, daughter of the river god Inachus, was so beautiful that Jupiter sought to seduce her with flattery. When she fled from him, he covered the land in mist and dishonoured her. His wife Juno, mistrustful of the mist, descended from Olympus and demanded as a gift the white heifer into which Jupiter had turned Io in order to avert her suspicion. She commanded Argus of the hundred eyes to watch over the heifer, to prevent her husband’s return, but Mercury played his flute, lulling Argus to sleep, and pushed him over the cliffs. Furious, Juno pursued her rival all the way to the River Nile, but then relented, and Jupiter finally returned Io to her human form.
Millet shows the moment when Io, fleeing from Jupiter, is enveloped in a dark cloud, in which two cupids can be seen. Amor shoots one of his arrows at Jupiter, robed in red. Io, Amor and Jupiter form a triangle bathed in light. In the shadowy area behind Jupiter stands Anteros, avenger of unrequited love; dark hair curved wings and burning arrows distinguish him from Amor.
The serene atmosphere of the composition with its archaistic staffage figures provides a calm backdrop against which Millet chooses to set the dramatic narrative.

Translated catalogue text from:
Ducke Astrid: Jean François I. Millet, Jupiter und Io, Kat. Nr. 18. In: Habersatter Thomas, Ducke Astrid (Hrsg.): Verführung. Verlockende Schönheit - tödlicher Reiz, Residenzgalerie Salzburg, Salzburg 2015, S. 148, Abb. S. 149

Translation: Gail Schamberger MA, Salzburg