De vlucht van Lot en zijn dochters uit Sodom 1677 - 1755

Editor: This pen and watercolor drawing on paper is entitled *The Flight of Lot and His Daughters from Sodom*, attributed to Elias van Nijmegen, and likely created sometime between 1677 and 1755. The loose linework and pale washes give it a dreamlike quality, and yet there is implied drama with the burning city in the background. How do you interpret this work, especially the way the figures are portrayed? Curator: It strikes me as a tender, desperate moment rendered with surprising lightness. The fleeing figures, while central, seem almost secondary to the smoky, atmospheric rendering of divine wrath. But consider the poses – Lot leading his daughters, perhaps reluctantly, towards an uncertain future, heads bowed, shielding their eyes from both the destruction and the shame. Can't you almost feel the weight of their history, of Sodom's sins and their own precarious escape? Editor: Yes, I see that. The figures aren't heroic; they seem burdened. Is that typical of Baroque depictions of biblical scenes? Curator: It’s not uncommon. While the Baroque often revels in grandeur and drama, it also has a deep fascination with human frailty, with the psychological impact of momentous events. This drawing feels very intimate; it’s as though we’re eavesdropping on a private tragedy. Imagine, just for a moment, what it must have been like. Editor: I think understanding that feeling makes me look at the artwork in a very different way. Curator: Art has that special ability, don't you agree? This drawing is both beautiful and terrifying and it gives such humanity to the old tale. Editor: Definitely. I will be looking for other pieces by van Nijmegen now that I know the story behind the drawing. Thanks so much!