Val van Phaethon 1748

Here we see an anonymous rendering of "The Fall of Phaeton," likely made as an illustration for a book. Note the chaotic scene: Phaeton plummets from his chariot, horses wild and uncontrolled, a narrative plucked from Ovid's "Metamorphoses." The sun chariot, a potent symbol of divine power, becomes a vehicle of destruction, a recurring motif across cultures where unchecked ambition leads to downfall. Consider how this imagery echoes in later works – think of Icarus, another figure undone by hubris, their stories intertwined as cautionary tales against overreaching. This theme resonates with the ancient Greek concept of *hybris*, an arrogance that invites divine retribution. The emotional impact of this scene – the terror, the loss – transcends time, tapping into our collective understanding of human fallibility. This visual language resurfaces time and again, a testament to its enduring power in the human psyche.