Giants crushed by rocks and the falling columns of the temple, clouds of smoke above, Poseidon in his chariot to left in the background, two spaces at left for doorways, 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

Pietro Santi Bartoli made this print of "Giants crushed by rocks and the falling columns of the temple" after a fresco by Giulio Romano in the Palazzo del Te in Mantua. This image depicts a dramatic scene of destruction from classical mythology, inviting us to consider its cultural context. Made in Italy, it draws on ancient Greek and Roman myths, reflecting the Renaissance fascination with classical antiquity. The fresco itself was commissioned for a palace, a site of power, suggesting the importance of mythological themes for wealthy patrons. The image creates meaning through visual codes and historical associations. The dramatic destruction of the giants, a revolt against the Olympian gods, might allude to social hierarchies and the suppression of rebellion. To fully understand it, we might consult primary sources on courtly life in 16th-century Mantua and consider how humanist scholars interpreted classical myths in that era. Looking at art in this way, we can understand it as something contingent on social and institutional contexts, a valuable key to the past.