Juno Discovering Jupiter with Io - Pieter Lastman

 RESEARCH

Jupiter, chief of the Roman gods, seduced Io, a young human woman. Interrupted by Juno, his wife, he hastily changed Io into a cow. Lastman shows Jupiter looking up with startled eyes at the enraged Juno, who is accompanied by the peacocks that are her attribute. Two figures pull back a wine-coloured cloth from the head of the transformed Io. One is Cupid, the boy god of love, his bow at his feet. The other is an allegory of Deceit, appropriately wearing a mask.

Juno pretended not to know that the cow was Io and asked Jupiter to give her the animal. She then put the cow under the guard of  Argos, a giant with a hundred eyes. To try and save Io, Jupiter ordered Merucry to slay Argos. Once dead, Juno placed all of Argos' eyes onto the tails of her peacocks.

After this Io wandered the Earth and even swam the staright between Europe and Asia. Eventually Io reached Egypt where Jupiter persuaded Juno to allow him to change her back to her human form. Once transformed back Io gave birth to her and Jupiter's son.

Apate is the personification of deciet. This is represented by the snake, oni mask and fox on his arm.

 

Deceit often appears good from the outside to lure you into a false sense of security but underneath is pure evil. This is shown by the innocent woman with a devil/ fire underneath.

One of Jupiter's sacred animals is the Eagle, shown here across his chest. This eagle is an agressive stance to show Jupiter's strength.

Jupiter is the god of the sky, represented here by the wind across his leg.

Jupiter is the god of thunder, represented here by the bolts of lightning on his arm.

Juno's sacred animal is the peacock, shown here on her leg.