Artwork
Lot und seine Töchter (?)
Lot und seine Töchter (?) is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Frans Floris. It dates from 1545 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Frans Floris’s oil painting, executed in 1545, portrays the biblical episode of Lot and his two daughters. The work is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. Set against a bleak, rocky landscape, the figures occupy the foreground while a distant city smolders in the background, underscoring the narrative’s tragic tone.
Subject & Meaning
Their subdued expressions convey a mixture of resignation and melancholy, reflecting the moral ambiguity of the biblical story.
The scene captures the moment after the destruction of Sodom, when Lot’s daughters, believing they are the last survivors, contemplate a desperate plan to preserve their lineage. One daughter sits, cradling a cup, her gaze lowered, while the other stands, reaching toward the vessel. Their subdued expressions convey a mixture of resignation and melancholy, reflecting the moral ambiguity of the biblical story.
Technique & Style
Floris employs a stark chiaroscuro, allowing the pale garments of the women to emerge from the dark, craggy ground. The contrast between light and shadow creates a three‑dimensional presence, while the limited palette emphasizes the somber mood. Small details—a basket and a box at their feet—anchor the figures in a tangible space and hint at domesticity amid disaster.
History & Provenance
Painted in the mid‑sixteenth century, the work entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings during the museum’s early acquisitions, though its exact path from Floris’s workshop to the Bavarian collection remains undocumented. Its presence in the museum reflects the broader interest of German collectors in Flemish and Netherlandish religious art of the Renaissance.
Context
Frans Floris, a leading figure of the Antwerp Mannerist movement, often merged Italianate compositional principles with Northern detail. This painting exemplifies his engagement with biblical subjects, a common theme among his patrons, and demonstrates how Renaissance artists used dramatic lighting to heighten emotional impact in religious narratives.
Artist & collection
Artist
Frans Floris, Frans Floris the Elder or Frans Floris de Vriendt (17 April 1519 – 1 October 1570) was a Flemish painter, draughtsman, print artist and tapestry designer.
