A giant heaving a boulder at center, other giants to left and right struggling and recoiling against impending boulders, nude figures climbing rocks and struggling in the background, from 'Giove che fulmina li giganti', after the frescoes on the ceiling of the Sala dei Giganti designed by Giulio Romano for the Palazzo del Te, Mantua 1675 - 1685

This print, made by Pietro Santi Bartoli after a fresco by Giulio Romano, depicts Jupiter striking down the giants. Created in the 17th century, it revives a story from ancient Greek mythology, where the giants, monstrous beings born of Earth, attempted to overthrow the Olympian gods. It’s hard to miss the sheer violence of the scene. The giants heave boulders and writhe in pain as Jupiter’s thunderbolts strike them. The scene is more than just a depiction of a mythological battle. It’s a potent representation of power dynamics, where the established order violently suppresses any challenge to its authority. Consider the symbolism: the giants, often seen as symbols of chaos and disorder, are punished for their ambition. In the 17th century imagination, images like these served as a potent reminder of the consequences of rebellion against divine and earthly rulers. How do you feel, looking at this battle between order and chaos?