Fall of Phaeton (Michelangelo)

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  • Royal Library, Windsor

  • British Museum

  • Galleria dell'Academia

The fall of the Phaeton was a subject by Michelangelo . Three variants of his interpretation of this myth have been handed down.

Image description

Version I

1533, black chalk, 41.3 × 23.4 cm, Royal Library , Windsor (since 1810)

At the beginning of September 1533 he sent this drawing to his pupil and close friend Tommaso de 'Cavalieri from Rome to Florence . Phaeton, son of the sun god Helios , almost causes a world fire when he is traveling in his father's sun chariot and is then struck by Zeus with lightning. Michelangelo depicts the chariot as a four- in-hand and Zeus on the wings of an eagle. The wooden box, the four horses and Phaeton tumble headlong. He is weeping from his sisters, the Heliaden . On them, the metamorphosis takes place in black poplars , the tears of which turn into amber . In addition to the heliades, Eridanos is depicted as a river god. The drawing shows strong physical torsions everywhere. Did Michelangelo draw inspiration from Laocoon when depicting Zeus ? The way Phaeton writhes falling down could also be inspired by the Laocoon group, which Michelangelo witnessed when they were found. Michelangelo and his architect colleague Giuliano da Sangallo were present on January 14th 1506 when the spectacular Laocoon group was found and excavated.

Version II

A variant is in the British Museum . The date is also 1533 (31.2 cm × 21.5 cm). Michelangelo varied each of the figures' individual positions with rich nuances. The metamorphosis is already taking place. The voluminous swan ( Kyknos ) of the library sheet is only indicated here as an "ugly duckling" in the background. Kyknos, grieving for his friend, is transformed into a swan. The term swan song comes from this legend due to its death song full of unhappy splendor. Against the library sheet, Eridanos looks up at Phaeton. The artist demonstrates their unfit to fly with the help of the massive horse's liver. On this sheet there is a dedication to Cavalieri.

Version III

A third drawing by Michelangelo The Fall of Phaeton from 1553 is in the Galleria dell'Academia in Venice . Here, too, the artist varies his execution. Phaeton falls down between two pairs of horses that are clutching each other. Zeus and the lower group are slightly indicated.

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