Artwork
El incendio de Troya
El incendio de Troya is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Francisco Collantes. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Francisco Collantes, a Spanish painter active in the mid‑17th century, executed the oil painting *El incendio de Troya* circa 1650. The canvas depicts the legendary conflagration of Troy and exemplifies Collantes’ engagement with dramatic narrative subjects. Today the work forms part of the permanent collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is displayed among other Baroque holdings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition portrays the mythic destruction of the ancient city of Troy, a theme drawn from classical literature. By focusing on the fiery devastation, Collantes emphasizes the tragic consequences of war and hubris, inviting viewers to contemplate the fleeting nature of human achievement against the backdrop of divine retribution.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting employs the chiaroscuro and vigorous brushwork characteristic of the early Baroque. Collantes adopts a palette of deep reds and smoky blues to render the flames, while the landscape elements echo the atmospheric treatment found in the works of Jusepe de Ribera and the Neapolitan School, blended with a lingering Venetian sensibility.
History & Provenance
Created around 1650, the canvas entered the Spanish royal collection in the late 17th century before being transferred to the Museo del Prado, where it has remained since the museum’s foundation. Documentation traces its ownership through the Bourbon inventories, confirming its continuous presence in state holdings for over three centuries.
Context
Collantes worked during a period when Spanish artists were increasingly looking to Italian models for inspiration. His exposure to the Neapolitan School and to 16th‑century Venetian painters informed his handling of light and color, situating *El incendio de Troya* within a broader European Baroque dialogue that merged dramatic narrative with refined landscape techniques.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Francisco Collantes (1599–1656) was a Spanish Baroque era painter. Collantes was born in Madrid but sought influence from Jusepe de Ribera and the Neapolitan School. He was also influenced by 16th century Venetian…
Aeneas and his family fleeing the burning city of Troy, with the Trojan horse in the background
Aeneas flees the burning Troy with his family
Fire of Troy
The Destruction and Sack of the Temple of Jerusalem
Aeneas trägt seinen Vater Anchises aus dem brennendem Troja
The Conquest of Jerusalem by Emperor Titus
Fire of Troy
Metellus Raising the Siege
Genserich's Invasion of Rome
The Sack of Jerusalem by the Romans
Fire of Rome
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