1792
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Fall of Phaeton is a 1792 ink by Thomas Rowlandson, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a chaotic scene of a man falling through the air, surrounded by swirling clouds and wild, tangled limbs. His body twists awkwardly, and his face is half-hidden by his arms. Below him, another figure reaches up as if trying to grab him, while a third person clings to the falling man’s legs. The whole scene looks like it’s happening in mid-air, with no ground in sight. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to show movement and panic. The ink looks smudged in places, giving it a rough, unfinished feel—like the scene itself is unstable. Want to see more of this artist’s work? Check out Rowlandson, Thomas.
Thomas Rowlandson (; 13 July 1757 – 21 April 1827) was an English artist and caricaturist of the Georgian Era, noted for his political satire and social observation.
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