The Fall of Phaeton

Art Historical Context

The Fall of Pha captures a dramatic moment from Greek mythology in which the young Phaeton control of the sun god chariot, plunging toward in a blaze of fire chaos. Woven after 1776 in wool and silk using slit and double interlocking tapestry techniques, this large hanging transforms the turbulent narrative into a, tactile surface where luminous silk threads highlight the swirling horses and tumbling figure against darker woolen grounds. Antonio Tempesta, whose designs often inspired later weavers, brought dynamic energy to mythological subjects through his work in prints and paintings. Here,...

About the Artist

Antonio Tempesta · 1555–1630

Antonio Tempesta (1555–1630), known as 'Il Tempestino,' was a Florentine painter and printmaker whose extraordinary output of approximately 1,700 etchings made him one of the most influential printmakers of the early Baroque period. Born in Florence and trained under Santi di Tito and the Flemish master Joannes Stradanus, he enrolled in the Accademia del Disegno in 1576 before relocating to Rome i...