Phaëthon rijdt in de zonnewagen 1590

Hendrick Goltzius rendered this engraving of Phaëthon’s ill-fated ride in the sun chariot sometime before 1617. We witness Phaëthon mid-fall, a dramatic demonstration of hubris, as the horses bolt and the chariot threatens to descend into the world below. Consider the sun chariot itself, a vehicle of immense power. We see its earlier manifestations in ancient sun god depictions driving similar chariots, from the Greek Helios to the Roman Sol. These images are not mere illustrations; they are potent symbols of cosmic order and divine authority. Goltzius, however, presents a subversion. The chariot, now careening out of control, represents not order but chaos, the result of Phaëthon's recklessness. The psychological tension is palpable. The terror in Phaëthon's face, combined with the chaotic energy of the horses, evokes a deep sense of foreboding. The image taps into our collective anxieties about control, ambition, and the consequences of overreaching. It reminds us that even the most dazzling symbols of power can become instruments of destruction when wielded unwisely.