The Fall of Phaeton, from Ovid's Metamorphoses | MSK Gent
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The Fall of Phaeton, from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 1590

  • burin engraving, paper
  • 165 x 247 mm
  • Inv. 2014-MK-1

Public Domain

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Phaeton's ride in his father Apollo's solar chariot will be a disastrous one. The horses have set the earth on fire. Riverbeds run dry and river nymphs lament their fate. Neptune with trident rises from the sea and stretches his arm to heaven. Mother Earth, depicted with city crown as Cybele, sticks her head out of the earth and protects her gaze with one hand. Atlas toils to torch the celestial vault. Jupiter throws lightning bolts and Phaeton falls from heaven with chariot and all. Below the scene, two lines of Latin text twice. This print is part of a series of 52 prints depicting stories from Ovid's Metamorphoses. This series is divided into three numbered series: two of 20 prints and one of 12 prints. This print belongs to the second series.

Artist

Hendrick Goltzius RKD
Brüggen 1558 - Haarlem 1617
workshop / studio

Hendrick Goltzius RKD
Brüggen 1558 - Haarlem 1617
after

Willem Hessels van Elst
Gorinchem 1542 - Douai 1613
authorAAT

Hendrick Goltzius RKD
Brüggen 1558 - Haarlem 1617
publisherAAT

Title The Fall of Phaeton, from Ovid's Metamorphoses
Date 1590
Period 16th century
Location Haarlem TGN
Medium and support burin engraving AAT
Signatures, inscriptions, and markings printed inscription outside the depiction, bottom left: 3
printed inscription outside the depiction, left middle: Exurt pontum et, terras Clymeneia prolis/ Nereidumq. ferit niesta querela polum
printed inscription outside the depiction, centre right: Arescunt fontes, arescit Xanthus et Ister/ AEstuat ipse sua mole granatus Atlas.
inscription on the back, right of centre: [...]
Collection print room
Object type burin engraving AAT
reproductive prints AAT
Inventory number 2014-MK-1
Acquisition credit unknown
2014
Current whereabouts Work currently not on display
Permalink https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/2014-MK-1
IIIF Manifest https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/9003/manifest.json
Art & Architecture Thesaurus 300417629 mythologies (religious concept) AAT
300189808 figures (representations) AAT
300015636 landscapes AAT
Keywords Iconclass 21C fire (one of the four elements) Iconclass
25H219 dry river, river bed Iconclass
48(+431) art (+ copy, copying ~ work of art) Iconclass
83(OVID, Metamorphoses) (scenes from) specific works of literature (OVID, Metamorphoses) Iconclass
9 Classical Mythology and Ancient History Iconclass
91B136 (story of) Atlas Iconclass
92 gods ~ classical mythology Iconclass
26E2 lightning, flash of lightning, thunderbolt Iconclass
92B1 (story of) Jupiter (Zeus) Iconclass
92B37111 the chariot of the sun Iconclass
92B391 Phaethon Iconclass
92B3911 story of Phaethon and the chariot of the sun Iconclass
92B39117 fall of Phaethon; he is struck by a thunderbolt of Jupiter Iconclass
92H1 (story of) Neptune (Poseidon) Iconclass
92L2 (story of) Cybele, Rhea Cybele, Great Mother of the Gods (Berecynt(h)ia) Iconclass
92L3 nymphs (in general); 'Ninfe in commune' (Ripa) Iconclass
School / Style Renaissance AAT
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