Art Institute of Chicago

The Battle between the Gods and the Giants

Joachim Antonisz. Wtewael (Dutch, c. 1566–1638)LinkedCulture matchlcp-0e0219e90e28

Date: c. 1608
Medium: Oil on copper
Culture: Netherlands
Department: Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Institution: Art Institute of Chicago
Object ID: 105466

From the Art Institute of Chicago record

The subject of the victory of the gods of Olympus over the ancient race of giants provided Joachim Wtewael with the opportunity to depict exaggerated athletic poses and striking contrasts of space and light. From the clouds, the Olympian gods wield their attributes as weapons: Jupiter hurls thunderbolts; Neptune brandishes his triton; and Mercury uses his caduceus as a spear. The helmeted figure on the right is Minerva, the goddess of wisdom and war. The painting's gemlike effect results from the use of a copper support and from its small scale. The artist's self-conscious display of his skills was a hallmark of the international style known as Mannerism, which was fashionable in Holland around 1600.

View at Art Institute of Chicago ↗

The authoritative record is held by Art Institute of Chicago. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.

Get printable QR codes

Open QR codes for this object page and the museum record. They stay collapsed until needed.

Open this page

See at Art Institute of Chicago

Provenance & credit

As published by the source institution. Coverage varies — not every institution's open-data feed includes ownership history.

Credit line: Through prior acquisition of the George F. Harding Fund
Provenance: Possibly Adriaan Bout, sold, The Hague, August 11, 1733, no. 108, “De Reusen tegen de Goden Strydende, heel curieus en uytvoerig Geschildert, door Uytewael, h. 6 d. br. 8 d. (the giants fighting against thegods, very rare and minutely painted by Wtewael” for 275 fl. [Gerard Hoet, Catalogus of Naamlyst van Schilderyen…, The Hague, 1752, vol. 1, p. 392]. Possibly Count van Wassenaar Obdam, sold, De Hondt, The Hague, August 19, 1750, no. 115, “De Reusen Stryd, tegen de Gooden, door Jochem Uittewaal. h. 6 d., br. 8 d. “ for 300 fl. [Hoet, vol. 2, p. 298]. Probably Willem Lormier, The Hague; sold A. Franken, The Hague, July 4, 1763, no. 206, “De Stryd der Reusen, tegen de Goden. K[uiper]. Breet 7 3/4, Hoog, 6 (the battle of giants and gods, on copper” for 115 fl. Vosmaar” [annotated sale catalogue, Art Institute of Chicago]. Probably Jan Tak, Leiden, sold, Zoeterwoude, September 5, 1781, no. 64a as a pair to Delfos, “"Een weergae werbeeldende Jupiter zittende op de Wolken met den Blixem in zijn hand, verzeld van Goden, terwijl de Reuzen op de voorgrond staande den Hemel bestormen, waarvan men 'er een meenigte in 't verschiet ziet nedertuimelen. Deeze twee stukjes zijn konstig geordonneert, fraai getekend, en zoo uitvoerig en kragtig of het Geëmailleert was, en met olijverf op koper geschildert, ieder is hoog 6, breed 7 duim." [annotated catalogue in the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie, The Hague; this and the Lormier picture were sold with a Diana and Acteon by Wtewael of the same dimensions]. Possibly Van Leyden; sold, Paris, September 10, 1804,no. 113 [pendants of Jupiter defeating the titans and Diana and Acteon 8 x 6 pouces, but described as on panel]. Private collection, Russia, c. 1900 [Matthiesen 1985, p. 30, based on Russian newspaper used to mount picture]. Private collection, England [according to Matthiesen 1985, p. 30 and Lowenthal 1986, p. 102]; Matthiesen Fine Ltd, by 1985; sold to the Art Institute, 1986.