The Lyon "Allegory of Fire (Venus in the Forge of Vulcan)" is part of a series of the elements which Jan Brueghel painted between 1606-1611. See Also:

• Allegory of Earth (Lyon)
• Allegory of Water (Lyon)
• Allegory of Air (Lyon)

In Jan Antoon van der Baren inventory of Leopold Wilhelm's collection, 1659, f.235r: "435,36,37 unndt 438. Vier Landschäfftel von Öhlfarb auf Holcz, warin die vier Elementen mit underschiedlichen schönen Sachen. Die Ramen schartz unndt die innere Leistel verguldt, jedes 2 Spann 6 Finger hoch und 4 Span 4 Finger braidt. Original von vom Brügel." Cited Lyons 1991, p.30 n.1, quoting Berger 1883, p.CXXXVII. The measurements equal about 54.1 x 91.5, so I suppose they measured the frames along with the painting: this makes sense as measurements are c.8 cm larger each direction rather than proportionally different.

These four works were appropriated by the French in 1809.

The date on this painting has been retraced; only the date on the Fire in this series is absolutely secure and according to the museum catalog it reads 1606 although Ertz still dates it as ca. 1611.

There is some debate as to whether this or the Doria-Pamphilj Four Elements series is the prime version. Buijs in the Lyons catalogue says neither is the original; Werche says that this is the prime version. The Lyons paintings have recently been restored. There are many pentimenti, especially in the parts by Van Balen.

The series of Four Elements for Borromoeo was done around the same time as these other two but it was not originally intended as a series, that is, "Earth" had a different function (as a history painting) before it was turned into an element allegory. That's why it is so different from the "Earth" pictures in the the other two series, while the other 3 elements are relatively (although by no means entirely) similar between the series. Buijs in Lyons 1991 comments, correctly, that the landscapes in this series are more "modern" than in the Borromeo series.

For further information see the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie website on this painting.