Israëlieten verzamelen de manna 1510 - 1530

Dirck Vellert, a 16th-century artist from Antwerp, created this small drawing titled 'Israelites Gathering Manna' using pen and gray ink. Vellert, also known as Dirck Jacobszoon, straddled the line between traditional religious art and the burgeoning humanist ideas of the Renaissance. In this piece, Vellert depicts a scene from the Book of Exodus where God provides the Israelites with manna from heaven during their desert wandering. Look closely. How does Vellert negotiate religious subject matter with the evolving cultural values of his time? What do you notice about the figures? Are they individualized, expressive? Or are they more stylized? This drawing, with its delicate lines and focus on biblical narrative, reflects the intersection of faith, cultural identity, and artistic expression, inviting us to consider how stories shape our understanding of ourselves and the world.