Lot and His Daughters (c. 1496-1499)

Artist:Date:Albrecht Dürer's painting "Lot and His Daughters" encapsulates a poignant and dramatic biblical narrative set against a tumultuous landscape. Painted between 1496 and 1499, the artwork illustrates the story from the Book of Genesis, where Lot, guided by divine intervention, flees the sinful city of Sodom with his two daughters.In Dürer's depiction, the urgency and peril of the moment are vividly conveyed. To the left of the scene, Lot, depicted as a bearded man in a flowing robe and fur-lined cloak, leads his daughters away from destruction. The elder daughter, balancing a bundle on her head, and the younger one, carrying a chest, follow their father with expressions of wary concern, reflecting the gravity and uncertainty of their escape.The background dramatically showcases the divine wrath befalling Sodom. Fiery explosions and thick, billowing smoke envelope the cityscape, casting a glow that illuminates the skyline with an eerie light. This conflagration contrasts starkly with the serene foreground where Lot and his daughters make their precarious way through a lush landscape, marked by detailed foliage and craggy rocks, typical of Dürer’s attentive treatment of nature."Lot and His Daughters" not only displays Dürer's masterful blend of meticulous detail and dynamic composition but also invites viewers to contemplate the themes of divine justice and human frailty.