ticketsMember | Make a donation

Fall of the Giants, Jupiter in the clouds overhead striking the Giants with lightning

ca. 1539–49
Not on view
In the mid-sixteenth century, the story of Jupiter overcoming the Giants' uprising was often associated with the victories of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (r. 1519–56) over the Protestant rebellion. Such was the case with the vault painted in about 1533 by Perino del Vaga (Pietro Buonaccorsi) in a chamber that served as a temporary throne room for the emperor in Andrea Doria's Genoese palace. This engraving records one of the preliminary drawings for the fresco. Perino follows Ovid's account in showing Jupiter fighting the Giants without help from the other Olympians, yet includes the boulders and uprooted trees mentioned by Apollodorus (Library 1.6) as weapons of the Giants.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Fall of the Giants, Jupiter in the clouds overhead striking the Giants with lightning
  • Artist: Girolamo Fagiuoli (Italian, active Bologna, by 1539, died 1574 Bologna)
  • Artist: After Perino del Vaga (Pietro Buonaccorsi) (Italian, Florence 1501–1547 Rome)
  • Date: ca. 1539–49
  • Medium: Engraving
  • Dimensions: Sheet (Trimmed): 13 3/8 × 22 1/2 in. (34 × 57.2 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
  • Object Number: 49.95.8
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Adoration of the Shepherds, Girolamo Fagiuoli Italian, Engraving
Adoration of the Shepherds
Girolamo Fagiuoli
The Judgment of Paris: he is sitting at left with Venus, Juno and Pallas Athena, a winged victory above. In the upper section the Sun in his chariot preceeded by Castor and Pollux on horseback, at lower right two river gods and a naiad above whom Jupiter, an eagle, Ganymede, Diana and another goddess, Marcantonio Raimondi Italian, Engraving
The Judgment of Paris: he is sitting at left with Venus, Juno and Pallas Athena, a winged victory above. In the upper section the Sun in his chariot preceeded by Castor and Pollux on horseback, at lower right two river gods and a naiad above whom Jupiter, an eagle, Ganymede, Diana and another goddess
Marcantonio Raimondi
Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio or Santi)
ca. 1510–20
Bacchanal with a Wine Vat, Andrea Mantegna Italian, Engraving and drypoint
Bacchanal with a Wine Vat
Andrea Mantegna
Before 1475
Hercules chasing Avarice from the Temple of the Muses, Ugo da Carpi Italian, Chiaroscuro woodcut from two blocks in green
Hercules chasing Avarice from the Temple of the Muses
Ugo da Carpi
Baldassarre Tommaso Peruzzi
ca. 1520–27
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, Francesco Colonna Italian, Printed book with woodcut illustrations
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili
Multiple artists/makers
December 1499

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.