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Andromeda Chained to the Rocks

Andromeda Chained to the Rocks (1630) is a 34 x 25 oil on panel painting by Dutch artist Rembrandt. It is now located in the Mauritshuis, in The Hague. Andromeda represents Rembrandt's first full length mythological female nude history painting and is taken from a story in Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Mythology

In Metamorphoses, Andromeda is the daughter of Aethiopian king and queen,Cepheus and Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia was very boastful about her beauty, and asserted that she was more beautiful than Juno, the queen of the gods and the Nereids. Insulted by Cassiopeia's assertions, Neptune sent a sea monster to the Aethiopian coast. Neptune then could only be appeased upon the sacrifice of Andromeda, the kings beautiful virgin daughter, to the sea monster. Andromeda was chained naked to rocks by the coast, awaiting the sea monster. Perseus, passing by, had noticed the beautiful girl and made a deal with her parents that he would save her, should he be allowed to have her hand in marriage. The king as queen agree and andromeda is saved.

The Damsel in Distress

This painting depicts a classic example of the damsel in distress. In this theme a beautiful young woman is placed in a perilous situation, usually involving a monster or being trapped in captivity. The damsel can then only be rescued by a hero, whom of which she usually ends up marrying.

Depiction of Beauty

Many artists such as Titian have depicted this story by showing Andromeda, her rescuer Perseus, and the sea monster all in the same composition. In this work, Rembrandt shies away from classical conventions by showing her not as a glamorous beauty but as a frightened naturalistic looking girl. No other figure is included, but her alarmed look out of the picture space to the right creates narrative tension. The painting is an example of Rembrandt's rejection of idealized beauty. Since he did not believe true beauty existed naturally, he painted women as he saw them; naturally imperfect and flawed.

Rembrandt's subsequent nude mythological paintings from this period Diana Bathing and Danaë show his evolving portrayal of the nude.

Imagery