Phaeton Driving the Chariot of Phoebus
1475/1500
Medium
Tempera or distemper on canvas
Dimensions
55.3 × 55.6 cm (21 3/4 × 21 13/16 in.); Framed: 68.3 × 68.9 × 7.7 cm (26 7/8 × 27 1/8 × 3 in.)
Classification
painting
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
102098
Art Historical Context
This striking circular painting captures a dramatic moment from classical mythology: the ill-fated Phaeton attempting to steer the chariot of Phoebus, the sun god. Created by an unknown Northern Italian artist between 1475 and 1500, the work reflects the Renaissance fascination with ancient stories, particularly those drawn from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The scene likely served as a decorative panel, perhaps for a palace ceiling or furniture, where such mythological narratives warned against hubris while delighting viewers with celestial spectacle. Painted in tempera or distemper on canvas—a medi...