Plate 11: Phaeton before Apollo (Funestas ad Phoebum fundit preces.), from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' 1606

Editor: So, this is Antonio Tempesta's "Phaeton before Apollo," an engraving from 1606, depicting a scene from Ovid’s *Metamorphoses*. There's such dramatic energy in such a small image! What symbolic weight do you see in Tempesta’s rendition of this classical myth? Curator: It’s interesting you mention energy; that swirling vortex of lines creates a palpable sense of divine power and impending doom. Phaeton’s plea before Apollo isn't just a father-son conversation; it’s a challenge to the natural order. Note the sun behind Apollo, and Phaeton’s supplicant stance—how does that interplay shape your reading of their dynamic? Editor: Well, Phaeton is clearly asking for something huge from Apollo. Almost too big. The sun behind him definitely conveys a godly status, highlighting the difference in their power. It seems like Phaeton’s reaching for something he shouldn’t. Curator: Exactly. Consider how often throughout art history light is paired with divinity, knowledge, or revelation. Phaeton requests to drive the sun chariot, a symbol of ultimate control. This isn't just about youthful ambition; it's about humanity's persistent desire to usurp the divine, which always has consequences, right? Do you see any details that support that interpretation? Editor: Definitely the horses seeming almost uncontrollable! I never really thought about the desire to "be like God" being so prominent throughout art, but now I see it everywhere. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! This small print really does speak volumes about enduring human aspirations and the iconography around divine power.