Elevated Love: Correggio and Michelangelo’s Depictions of The Rape of Ganymede

Abstract

Chronicling the lives of the pagan Gods, Metamorphoses was essentially a compilation of stories based on Greek mythology. As the title suggests, the primary theme throughout the work was that of change and evolution. Suggesting that the process was naturally occurring, the stories also sent the message that in spite of any physical transformation, the soul or spirit would remain fundamentally the same. In short, the world was in constant flux but the soul was not. Although this idea ran throughout the epic poem, Ovid’s story was richly layered and comprised of many other aspects, with various themes continuing throughout the book. One reoccurring theme was that of unrequited love, which often involved one character in aggressive pursuit. Jove, otherwise known as Jupiter in Roman mythology, was the supreme God of the Heavens and though he was married to Juno, he often lusted after the most beautiful of mortals in the earthly realm. This presentation proposes that while Ovid’s Metamorphoses provided a starting point for artists, these Ovidian stories were open to interpretation (and reinterpretation). Similar to religious imagery, which was most dominant at the time, they were constantly adapted in art. Examining two different portrayals of the Rape of Ganymede, one by Correggio and the other by Michelangelo demonstrates how Metamorphoses, as the title implies, was able to continually evolve and remain relevant to the changing social values.