# Allegory on the Abdication of Emperor Charles v in Brussels

- By: Frans Francken (II) (Antwerp, 1581–1642)
- Date: c. 1635 - c. 1640
- Medium: panel, oil paint (paint)
- Classification: painting
- Dimensions: support: height 132.6 cm x height 132.8 cm x width 170.7 cm
- Museum: [Rijksmuseum](https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/SK-A-112--2cb744f2469fe62413bb6aab920d4e03)
- Rights: [Public Domain Mark](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
- Picture: https://iiif.micr.io/vkmJW/full/!1920,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Teens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Charles V is enthroned at centre. Battle weary and wracked by illness, in 1555 he divided up his empire. He gave his brother Ferdinand (left of the throne) the Holy Roman Empire, while his son Phillip (at the right) became King of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands. The three figures in the right foreground personify the continents America, Africa and Asia over which Charles’s vast empire also stretched. Neptune (left) symbolizes his power at sea.