De verwoesting van Jericho 1569

This engraving of The Destruction of Jericho was made by Philips Galle around 1570 in the Netherlands, and shows the biblical story from the Book of Joshua. It illustrates the Israelite army conquering the city of Jericho. Galle was part of a large printmaking industry based in Antwerp, then a cosmopolitan centre of commerce and culture. His images circulated widely, and can be understood as products of their time. Take a look at the architecture in the background; it looks like the European cities of Galle’s day, not the ancient Middle East. This was a common visual strategy, embedding the biblical narrative within the viewer’s own world. Note also the Roman soldiers in the foreground. What might the artist have been implying with this association? An art historian will consider these issues in their work, using a wide range of resources such as trade records, religious texts, and other images made at the time. Art's meaning is never fixed, but depends on these historical contexts.