The Mystery Behind the Abduction of Two Nude Women
The Rubens painting depicts “The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus”
The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus by Peter Paul Rubens was a painting that was displayed at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich in 1618.
The painting represents the kidnapping of the daughters of Leucippus of Messenia — Phoebe and Hilaeira by their cousin brothers Castor and Pollux.
The king’s name Leucippus means Solid and empty.
Leucippus’ Daughters
King Leucippus had two daughters named Phoebe and Hilaeira, who were engaged to a pair of brothers Castor and Pollux.
In the painting, both brothers kidnap the princesses away. The armed warriors can be seen as capturing both nude ladies and transporting them on their horseback.
The Painting
Rubens was an artist from the Baroque era. He mostly created scenes of fighting and hunting exotic animals with humans.
This life-size painting of Ruben illustrates the mythical tale which was recited by the poets Theocritus and Ovid.
This abduction of sisters together by the twin brothers Castor and Pollux is also popularly known as Dioscuri.
