Battle of the Gods and Giants from Mount Olympus and Mount Othrys
1601 to 1650
Medium
pen and brown ink with brown wash on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 10.2 x 13.5 cm (4 x 5 5/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of William B. O'Neal, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art
Accession Number
1991.150.45
Art Historical Context
Jan Luyken’s dynamic drawing captures the legendary Gigantomachy, the epic clash between the Olympian gods on Mount Olympus and the rebellious giants based on Mount Othrys. Created between 1601 and 1650, the scene brings to life a foundational Greek myth that symbolized the triumph of order over chaos. Luyken, a Dutch artist celebrated for his illustrative work, uses vigorous linework to convey the tumult of divine combat. Executed in pen and brown ink with brown wash on laid paper, the small sheet—measuring just over four by five inches—reveals the artist’s mastery of light and shadow. The f...
About the Artist
Jan Luyken
Dutch, Amsterdam 1649–1712 Amsterdam