Stellio mocking Ceres because she drinks too avidly (Metamorphosis V:446-461)

Stom employs a stark chiaroscuro, contrasting illuminated faces and objects with a surrounding gloom to heighten emotional intensity. The figures are rendered with a tactile realism, their drapery and skin modeled through careful gradations of light. This approach reflects the influence of Caravaggisti and the dynamic vigor found in the works of Ribera and Rubens.

Created during Stom’s Italian period, the painting entered the collection of the Alte Pinakothek, where it remains on display. Its acquisition history traces back to 19th‑century German collectors who sought representative works of Northern Baroque painters, securing the piece for public exhibition.

Stom, a Dutch‑Flemish artist active in Italy, typically favored biblical subjects, making this mythological composition an unusual departure. The work aligns with the broader Northern Caravaggisti movement, which blended Flemish sensibilities with the dramatic lighting and realism championed by Caravaggio’s followers.