A political re-reading of Titian's 'Rape of Europa': Philip II and the Turks

The subject of Titian's Rape of Europa (1559-1562), taken from the Second B ook of Ovid's Metamorphosis has often been portrayed. IF the theme of love predominates in the poesia, how can the appearance of a diavolo di mare, a spiny-finned fish, in the foreground be explained? Other details are allusi ons to the threat of Turkish naval power in the Mediterranean at that time, and depict sailing vessels, bonfires on mountains, and Europa's panic-stri cken attendants. The historical context and modifications in the course of execution (visible in the x-ray photographs) lead the author to give a new iconological reading of this famous poesia commissioned by Philip II.