THE ABDUCTION OF PROSERPINA, Firenze (?) c 1600
H 16 1/2 x W 7 x D 5 1/8 inch
Further images
This striking bronze group represents the dramatic mythological episode of the abduction of Proserpina by Pluto, ruler of the underworld. Rendered with remarkable dynamism, the sculpture captures the moment of violent seizure: Pluto strides forward while forcefully lifting the struggling goddess, whose twisting torso and raised arms convey both resistance and emotional intensity. The composition, conceived in the round, invites the viewer to move around the sculpture, revealing continuously shifting relationships between the two figures.
The myth originates in Metamorphoses, where Pluto abducts Proserpina to make her queen of the underworld. Her mother Ceres (Demeter in Greek mythology) mourns her disappearance, causing the earth to become barren until a compromise allows Proserpina to spend part of the year above ground, thus explaining the cycle of the seasons. The violent drama and emotional tension of the narrative made the subject particularly attractive to artists from the Renaissance onward.