Who painted The Fall of Phaethon?

The Fall of Phaethon was painted by Bronzino in 1557.

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.

Can I buy a print of The Fall of Phaethon?

Museum-quality prints of The Fall of Phaethon are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Fall of Phaethon

Bronzino , 1557

The Fall of Phaethon is a chalk drawing by the Renaissance artist Bronzino. It dates from 1557 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:by William Esdaile, across bottom verso in pen and brown ink: 1814 WE P 15-N 9bx / The Fall of Phaeton by Michael-Angelo; by J.C. Robinson, lower right verso in pen and brown ink: J.C. Robinson July 2 1887 / Giorno felicissimmo per questa / trovaglia!!!; by later hand, lower left verso in graphite: being lot 49 in his Sale

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.

The Fall of the Rebel Angels [recto], Parmigianino

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Artist & collection

Artist

Bronzino

Agnolo di Cosimo (Italian:; 17 November 1503 – 23 November 1572), usually known as Bronzino (Italian: Il Bronzino ) or Agnolo Bronzino, was an Italian Mannerist painter from Florence.