Vernietiging van het Egyptische leger in de Rode Zee 1586

Julius Goltzius created this print, "Destruction of the Egyptian Army in the Red Sea," sometime in the late 16th century. As a Northern European artist, Goltzius lived in a society deeply influenced by religious reformation and a renewed interest in biblical narratives, like that of Exodus. The print depicts the moment when the Red Sea, having parted to allow Moses and the Israelites to escape, crashes down upon the pursuing Egyptian army. The chaotic scene, filled with drowning soldiers and overturned chariots, can be seen as a commentary on power, divine intervention, and the triumph of the oppressed. As the Israelites pass to safety, the image speaks to themes of liberation and divine justice, which had a particular resonance in the context of the religious and political upheavals of Goltzius’s time. Consider how the artist uses the dramatic depiction of the event to convey not just a historical moment, but also a powerful message about faith, resistance, and the consequences of tyranny. The image, in its emotionally charged depiction, asks us to reflect on the enduring human struggle for freedom and justice.