Fall of Phaeton 1553

Nicolas Beatrizet created this engraving, Fall of Phaeton, in the mid-16th century, a time when the stories of classical antiquity were being reimagined by artists all over Europe. This image depicts a moment from Ovid's Metamorphoses, where Phaeton, son of the sun god Apollo, loses control of his father's chariot, causing chaos across the earth. Beatrizet’s print uses the visual language of the Italian Renaissance to give the story a new kind of dramatic intensity. Prints like these played a crucial role in disseminating artistic ideas across Europe. Beatrizet worked in Rome, a city that, thanks to the Vatican, was becoming the center of a new visual culture. His engraving helped to spread the influence of artists like Michelangelo, giving artists elsewhere access to the Eternal City’s most powerful imagery. By examining the social and institutional contexts in which art is produced and consumed, we gain a richer understanding of its historical significance. To dig deeper, we can consult period texts, artists' biographies, and institutional records.