Artwork preview

The Fall of Phaeton

Thomas Rowlandson

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing featuring a mythological scene with a figure and a horse. The drawing depicts a muscular figure falling or reclining backwards with a downward gaze. He holds a sword in one hand, while the other seems to be tangled with reins or ropes that are connected to a horse. The horse appears to be rearing or falling, its limbs depicted in motion. The scene is shrouded in clouds and smoke-like forms. The use of lines and shading techniques highlights the figures' anatomy and creates a sense of movement.

Artwork Details

Medium
pen and brown and gray ink with gray wash over graphite, corrected in white gouache, on wove paper
Dimensions
3424 × 4694 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original