Artwork
Exodus Painting, five elements from a painted hanging depicting the Crossing of the Red Sea
Exodus Painting, five elements from a painted hanging depicting the Crossing of the Red Sea is an unspecified painting. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work consists of five painted fragments that once formed a single, larger composition illustrating the biblical Crossing of the Red Sea.
About this work
Overview
The work consists of five painted fragments that once formed a single, larger composition illustrating the biblical Crossing of the Red Sea. Arranged horizontally, the pieces progress from a small leftmost panel to a considerably larger rightmost one, each capturing a distinct moment within the narrative.
Subject & Meaning
Each fragment portrays a separate episode of the Exodus story, featuring groups of Israelites and individual figures set against a stylised landscape. The scenes convey themes of deliverance and divine intervention, central to the biblical account of the people’s escape from Egypt.
Technique & Style
Executed in a manner reminiscent of ancient mural painting, the fragments display bold outlines and saturated hues. Figures are rendered in a classical idiom, with draped garments and elaborate headpieces, while a deep blue ground plane provides a vivid contrast to the warm tones of the bodies.
History & Provenance
The panels are believed to be remnants of a once‑continuous painting, now separated and displayed together. Their current assemblage reflects a curatorial effort to present the narrative sequence despite the loss of the original unifying format.
Context
The work belongs to a tradition of visualizing biblical episodes for devotional or instructional purposes, employing a visual language that echoes earlier classical and Near Eastern artistic conventions while adapting them to a later religious context.
Artist & collection
