Fall of Phaeton
1649
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1649
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Fall of Phaeton is a 1649 by Girolamo Rossi, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This print shows a chaotic sky scene with a horse half-man, half-horse rearing up, tangled in reins. Below, a group of people—some crying, some reaching out—stand in a rocky landscape. The sky is packed with swirling clouds and dramatic movement, while the ground has a waterfall and scattered trees. Notice how the artist uses deep shadows and strong contrasts to make the figures stand out against the sky. This helps pull your eye to the action. Check out the Baroque movement for more dramatic, high-energy art like this.
