Artwork
Lot and his Daughters
Lot and his Daughters is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Joachim Wtewael. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1600 by Dutch painter Joachim Wtewael, this oil on canvas presents a compact biblical scene titled Lot and his Daughters.
Created in 1600 by Dutch painter Joachim Wtewael, this oil on canvas presents a compact biblical scene titled Lot and his Daughters. The composition places three figures within a densely wooded setting, the elder Lot leaning forward with a troubled expression while his two daughters sit nearby, one clutching grapes and the other wrapped in a red cloth. The work is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting visualizes the closing episode of the Genesis narrative in which Lot, having fled Sodom, is persuaded by his daughters to drink wine and conceive offspring. The daughters’ offering of a goblet and the uneasy posture of Lot convey the moral tension of the story, highlighting themes of survival, deception, and the origins of the Moabite and Ammonite peoples.
Technique & Style
Wtewael employs the hallmarks of Northern Mannerism: elongated, elegant figures rendered with meticulous surface polish and intricate drapery. The foliage is rendered in deep, saturated tones, creating a chiaroscuro effect that isolates the characters against a shadowy forest. Fine brushwork delineates the textures of fruit, cloth, and hair, while the composition’s twisted poses generate a sense of controlled drama.
History & Provenance
Joachim Wtewael, a prominent Haarlem artist trained in the late‑sixteenth‑century Dutch tradition, produced this work during the height of his career. After changing hands among private collectors, the painting entered the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s Dutch Baroque holdings.
Context
The work reflects the Dutch Republic’s fascination with biblical subjects rendered in a sophisticated, courtly manner. Wtewael’s rendition aligns with contemporary moralizing art, using classical poses and elaborate detail to engage viewers in ethical contemplation. The inclusion of abundant fruit and luxuriant vegetation also echoes the period’s interest in naturalism within a stylized, allegorical framework.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Joachim Anthoniszoon Wtewael (Dutch pronunciation: ; 1566 – 1 August 1638), also known as Uytewael (pronounced ), was a Dutch Mannerist painter and draughtsman, as well as a highly successful flax merchant, and town councillor of Utrecht.
