The Fall of Phaeton

c. 1604/1605, probably reworked c. 1606/1608 · Painting

May one see it?

Yes, receiving visitors

National Gallery of Art

Washington, D.C., United States

Room45 · West Building, Main Floor

On public display.

Checked: 4 hours ago
In this state since: Aug 19, 2026
Source: The museum's own collection data

On the map Museum page

About the painting

The Fall of Phaeton is a painting by the Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens, featuring the ancient Greek myth of Phaeton (Phaethon), a recurring theme in visual arts. Rubens chose to depict the myth at the height of its action, with the thunderbolts hurled by Zeus to the right. The thunderbolts provide the light contrast to facilitate the display of horror on the faces of Phaeton, the horses and other figures while preserving the darkness of the event. The butterfly winged female figures represent the hours and seasons, who react in terror as the night and day cycle becomes disrupted. The great astrological circle that arches the heavens is also disrupted. The assemblage of bodies forms a diagonal oval in the center, separating dark and light sides of the canvas. The bodies are arranged so as to assist the viewer's travel continually around that oval.

Read on

Rubens painted The Fall of Phaeton in Rome and the painting was probably reworked later around 1606–1608. It has been housed in the National Gallery of Art since 5 January 1990. Rubens also painted other Greek mythological subjects, such as The Fall of Icarus, Perseus Freeing Andromeda, and The Judgement of Paris.

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Particulars

Accession number: 1990.1.1

What it shows

Classical Phaeton

In the catalog

Baroque Flemish Mythological painting

Sources

National Gallery of Art: the museum's own open data · fetched 4 days ago
Image: National Gallery of Art — Museum open access

Meanwhile, in the life of Peter Paul Rubens

The whole life

July 1600 – 5 May 1608 · Workplace
Mantua
12 January 1602
First Official Commission: An Altarpiece for the Archduke
Archduke Albert of Austria commissioned from Rubens an altarpiece of the Finding of the True Cross for a Roman church; the contract was signed on 12 January 1602, and by 26 January the artist had already presented the central part of the composition.
5 March 1603
Diplomatic Mission to Spain
On behalf of Duke Gonzaga, Rubens traveled to Spain to deliver gifts to King Philip III; the paintings were damaged by rainstorms en route, and the artist restored them himself in Valladolid. This was the first of his journeys combining art and diplomacy.
28 October 1608
Departure from Italy Forever
Having finished the commission for the Oratorians, Rubens left Rome without permission on 28 October 1608, hurrying to his ailing mother; despite promises to return to Mantua, he never went back to Italy.
3 October 1609
Married: Isabella Brant
9 January 1610
Court Painter to the Archducal Couple
After being presented at court in August 1609, Rubens received his patent as court painter to Archduke Albert and the Infanta Isabella; at the same time he secured the right to remain working in Antwerp rather than Brussels, and to be paid a fee for each painting.