The Rape of Ganymede

The painting depicts the mythic abduction of Ganymede by a large eagle, with the nude youth contorted in fear as he is seized and clings to a tasselled cord. The composition drives diagonally from the eagle’s spread wings to the suspended figure, the illuminated flesh of Ganymede contrasting against the bird’s dark plumage and the shadowed background. Rembrandt uses strong chiaroscuro, warm flesh tones against deep browns and blues, and vigorous brushwork to create a dramatic Baroque scene with kinetic movement.