The Battle between the Gods and the Giants
The victory of the Olympic gods over the ancient race of giants was a perfect subject for Wtewael to showcase exaggerated athletic poses and striking contrasts of space and light. Painted on copper, this small work almost appears gem-like. Wtewael's self-conscious display of skills was a hallmark of the international style known as Mannerism, which was fashionable in Holland around 1600.
Colors in this work
Details
- Artist
- Joachim Antonisz. Wtewael
- Date
- c. 1608
- Medium
- Oil on copper
- Dimensions
- 15.6 × 20.3 cm (6 1/8 × 8 in.); Framed: 24.1 × 27.3 × 3.5 cm (9 1/2 × 10 3/4 × 1 3/8 in.)
- Origin
- Netherlands
- Department
- Painting and Sculpture of Europe
- Holding institution
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Palette
-
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- Image provider
- art-institute-chicago
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Credit
- Through prior acquisition of the George F. Harding Fund
Art Genome Taxonomy
12 tags
Subject Matter
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Classical Mythology Both · 99%
The title and catalog description identify the mythological victory of the Olympian gods over the ancient giants, while the image visibly depicts a mythic battle involving divine and giant figures.
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Deities and Holy Figures Both · 98%
The metadata identifies gods and goddesses, including Jupiter, Neptune, Mercury, and Minerva; the image shows elevated figures bearing recognizable attributes within the clouds.
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Violence Both · 99%
The catalog lists battles and violence as subjects, and the image visibly depicts armed combat, attacking figures, and fallen bodies.
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Nude Both · 99%
The catalog lists nudes, and the image prominently depicts numerous nude or partially nude bodies among both the giants and the divine figures.
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Human Figure Both · 98%
The composition is dominated by many anatomically posed human bodies, consistent with the catalog’s identification of mythological figures, gods, goddesses, and nudes.
Styles and Movements
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Mannerism Both · 98%
The catalog identifies Mannerism as the style and describes exaggerated athletic poses and a self-conscious display of skill; the image shows elongated, contorted figures arranged in theatrical poses.
Visual Qualities
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Dense Composition Visual · 97%
Overlapping bodies, clouds, weapons, drapery, and landscape elements occupy nearly the entire picture surface, producing a visibly crowded composition.
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Dynamism Visual · 96%
Diagonal gestures, airborne figures, twisting bodies, and falling forms create a strong sense of movement across the scene.
Medium and Techniques
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Painting Metadata · 99%
The catalog classifies the object as a painting.
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Oil Painting Metadata · 99%
The catalog specifies the medium as oil on copper.
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Oil on Copper Metadata · 99%
The catalog specifically identifies copper as the support.
Geographic Regions
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Dutch Art Metadata · 99%
The Art Institute of Chicago identifies the work as originating in the Netherlands and identifies Wtewael as Dutch.
Source & rights
Joachim Antonisz. Wtewael. The Battle between the Gods and the Giants. The Art Institute of Chicago.
High-resolution sources
- IIIF image service ↗ 1,686 × 1,305 · Art Institute Chicago · Availability not yet probed