Who painted The Fall of Phaethon?

The Fall of Phaethon was painted by Agnolo Bronzino.

Where can I see The Fall of Phaethon?

The Fall of Phaethon is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Fall of Phaethon?

The Fall of Phaethon is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

The Fall of Phaethon

Agnolo Bronzino

The Fall of Phaethon is a chalk drawing by the Renaissance artist Agnolo Bronzino. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The drawing titled The Fall of Phaethon was executed by the Florentine artist Agnolo Bronzino in 1557. Rendered in black chalk on laid paper, the work presents a mythological scene in a monochrome, draughtsmanship-focused manner, characteristic of the period’s preparatory studies.

Technique & Style

Bronzino employed black chalk to delineate forms with precise hatching and tonal variation, exploiting the texture of laid paper to enhance depth. The drawing’s linear clarity and controlled shading reflect the artist’s training in the Mannerist tradition, emphasizing elegant contours over dramatic chiaroscuro.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid‑sixteenth century, the piece belongs to Bronzino’s oeuvre of mythological subjects. While specific ownership records are sparse, the drawing has been documented in scholarly catalogues of Bronzino’s works and is presently held in a public collection that specializes in Renaissance drawings.