Zeus as a shower of gold

E158668

Zeus as a shower of gold refers to the god’s mythological transformation into a cascade of golden light or coins to impregnate Danaë while she was imprisoned.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Zeus as a shower of gold canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf iconographic type
mythological motif
mythological transformation
appearsInMyth Danaë
surface form: myth of Danaë
appearsInMythCycle Perseus cycle
associatedWith divine epiphany
fertility
seduction
transformation
wealth
commonTitleInArt The Rape of Danaë
surface form: Danaë and the Shower of Gold

The Rape of Danaë
contrastsWith Zeus’s other zoomorphic seduction forms
culture ancient Greek religion and mythology
depictedIn Baroque painting
European academic art
Renaissance painting
Roman wall painting
ancient Greek vase painting
hasForm shower of golden coins
shower of golden light
hasLocation Danaë
surface form: chamber or tower of Danaë
laterReception interpreted as allegory of greed and bribery
interpreted as emblem of erotic desire
modeOfAppearance non-human, immaterial form
narrativeFunction to enable the birth of a destined hero
narrativeOutcome fulfillment of prophecy about Perseus
notDepictedAs anthropomorphic Zeus figure
occursWhile Danaë
surface form: Danaë is confined by her father Acrisius

Danaë is imprisoned in a bronze chamber
purpose to circumvent Danaë’s confinement
to impregnate Danaë
to reach Danaë in her prison
refersTo Danaë
Zeus
refersToEvent impregnation of Danaë
relatedConcept divine visitation
metamorphosis of gods in Greek myth
relatedWork paintings of Danaë by Correggio
paintings of Danaë by Rembrandt
paintings of Danaë by Titian
resultsIn conception of Perseus
symbolizes divine power overcoming human constraints
miraculous conception
the corrupting or persuasive power of wealth
timePeriodOfOrigin Archaic or earlier Greek mythic tradition
usedBy Zeus

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Titian’s “Danaë” depicts Zeus as a shower of gold