Art

                 The Fall of Phaeton was painted in 1604 by Sir Peter Paul Rubens. It depicts the climax of Ovid’s metamorphoses when Zeus throws his lighting bolt at Apollo’s chariot and Phaethon’s fall begins. Peter Paul Rubens was a Dutch painter and this is important as it is thought that Sir Peter was inspired by Dutch art theorist Karel Van Mander who interpreted Ovid’s metamorphoses as a cautionary tale of what being too ambitious can do to you. 

                 You can find a lot of conveyed meaning in the lighting and focal points. We can see a bright beam of sunlight illuminate everything in the painting which conveys the importance of the sun in the story as Apollo was the main reason that Phaethon was so intent on driving the sun chariot. The fact that the sunbeam is so prominent despite the fact that the sun chariot had been destroyed and there wouldn’t be any light shining above enhances this idea of Apollo causing this tragedy. Sir Peter also doesn’t focus heavily on Phaethon, he can be found in the shade under the chariot surrounded by debris. I believe this is to show what Phaethon’s story is actually about. Phaethon's undoing ultimately wasn't his fault. Phaethon argued for his father, he risked his life for his father, and he died for his father. The light also doesn’t touch Phaethon, you can see it slightly behind him but it never actually illuminates him. Apollo was absent during his life and while he tries to reach for Phaethon one last time he is unable to save him, Phaethon's dream of societal approval only existed because of his father. Rubens also added his own detail in the painting that differed from Ovid’s telling of the story. He added the Horae to the scene of the crash who represent the seasons and the balance of the world. In the painting we can see them in utter disarray which amplifies what we feel that Phaethon’s impact on the world was. The Horae are also not looking at Phaethon, they gaze at the light. Meaning they don't blame Phaethon for this disruption but rather they believe Apollo had a major part in the scorching of the world. Phaethon's journey might have disrupted the natural course of every living being but when looking at this painting we feel as though it is not his fault. Ruben's painting artistically depicts the emotions of everyone at the scene and the chaos that ensued during Phaethon's fall.