Artwork

A Beach with Fishermen Cutting Up a Whale and the Prophet Elijah

A Beach with Fishermen Cutting Up a Whale and the Prophet Elijah, by Magdalena van de Passe, ink, 1624
A Beach with Fishermen Cutting Up a Whale and the Prophet Elijah, by Magdalena van de Passe, ink, 1624

A Beach with Fishermen Cutting Up a Whale and the Prophet Elijah is an ink print by the Baroque artist Magdalena van de Passe. It dates from 1624 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

A Beach with Fishermen Cutting Up a Whale and the Prophet Elijah is an engraving on laid paper created by Magdalena van de Passe around 1624. The print is held at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Subject & Meaning

The engraving depicts a beach scene with fishermen dismembering a whale, a ship, and smaller boats. A robed figure, identified as the Prophet Elijah, stands on the right, linking the scene to a biblical narrative.

Technique & Style

The black-and-white print is an example of engraving, a technique involving cutting a design into a metal plate to produce an image on paper. The level of detail achieved suggests a high level of skill in this labor-intensive process.

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.