The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite

About the Artwork

Neptune—the Roman god of water—and his wife, Amphitrite, ride a chariot pulled by sea horses. Water fowl and flying fish glide in the sky above them, while in the distance a group of nymphs beckon from a grotto. Neptune’s trident represents his power over water and storms; the fish, shells, coral, and pearls carried by his subjects show his wealth.

Inscriptions

signed lower right: D.O. ffranck. f

Provenance

Mrs. Noah L. Butkin, (Shaker Heights, Ohio), by gift to the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1982.

Exhibition history

The Year in Review for 1983. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 22-April 8, 1984).

Quick Overview

Artist: Frans Francken (Flemish, 1581–1642)
Date: 1630s
Medium: oil on copper, mounted on wood
Dimensions: Framed: 36.2 x 43.8 x 3.8 cm (14 1/4 x 17 1/4 x 1 1/2 in.); Unframed: 23.5 x 30.9 cm (9 1/4 x 12 3/16 in.)
Type: Painting
Classification: Painting
Department: European Painting and Sculpture
Credit line: Gift of Mrs. Noah L. Butkin
Accession no.: 1982.245

Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.