Artwork
Punishment of Love
Punishment of Love is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Paolo Fiammingo. It dates from 1593 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Paolo Fiammingo, a Flemish artist who worked in Venice, painted *Punishment of Love* in 1593. Executed in oil on canvas, the work exemplifies the Mannerist aesthetic that dominated late‑sixteenth‑century Venetian art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a mythological or allegorical scene in which love is subjected to punitive forces, a theme recurrent in the period’s visual culture that explored the tension between desire and moral order.
Technique & Style
Fiammingo’s handling reflects the influence of local masters such as Tintoretto, Veronese, and Bassano. The painting displays elongated figures, exaggerated poses, and a vivid palette characteristic of Mannerist drama, while retaining a keen attention to landscape detail.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the canvas has entered the collection of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of late Renaissance and Mannerist works.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Pauwels Franck, known in Italy as Paolo Fiammingo and Paolo Franceschi (c. 1540–1596), was a Flemish painter, who, after training in Antwerp, was active in Venice for most of his life. He is mainly known for his…
