The beautiful princess Danaë, courted by Zeus as a golden rain that impregnates her, became a popular subject in the Renaissance and later. In Wertmüller’s painting, Cupid is lending a hand. This work had many admirers, including the artist Jacques Louis David, but success eluded the artist. When Wertmüller travelled to America in 1794 he took the painting, which he then showed for a fee. This proved profitable in a country without nude painting.