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Fall of Phaeton

Nicolas Beatrizet

1520

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

Fall of Phaeton is a 1520 by Nicolas Beatrizet, a Renaissance work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Nicolas Beatrizet
When & what style?: 1520 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This print shows a wild, chaotic scene in two parts. Up top, a half-man half-horse creature is falling from the sky, surrounded by swirling clouds. Below, a group of people is scattered in panic—some are running, others are lying on the ground. The sky is dark and stormy, while the land has a few trees and a distant town. The artist packed a lot into the sky part: a winged figure holds a torch, and another person clings to the falling creature. The lines are sharp, and the figures look tense and dramatic. If you like this kind of dramatic storytelling, look up Renaissance.