Phaëton en Apollo, 1740
Charles Dupuis

In this dynamic scene, Phaëton pleads with the sun god Apollo for the chance to drive the sun chariot for a day. Apollo, his father, extends his hands above Phaëton's head in a grand gesture. To the left, men are struggling to control the horses that pull the sun chariot. Above them, Aurora, the goddess of dawn, soars with her torch. On the right, Father Time wields his scythe alongside Ceres with her wheat sheaves and the Hours bearing flowers. The Four Winds make their presence known at the bottom left. This print is part of a series inspired by paintings found in the Chambre des Muses in Paris' Hôtel Lambert.

Copyright: Public domain