Profeet Sefanja en geketende vrouw bij gezicht op stad met ongelovigen die gestraft worden door God 1681 - 1744

Here is your audio guide script: This engraving by François van Bleyswijck, created in 1744, presents a scene teeming with symbolic and dynamic elements. The composition is striking, divided into distinct registers with detailed depictions of figures and architecture. The monochromatic palette emphasizes the linear quality of the engraving. The structure of the image invites a semiotic interpretation. The prophet Zephaniah stands to the left, juxtaposed against a chained woman on the right, with a besieged city serving as the backdrop. Above, angels hover, framing a celestial vision, suggesting a divine perspective on earthly events. The lines of sight and the gestures of the figures create a narrative flow, guiding the viewer's eye through the unfolding drama. Van Bleyswijck uses the formal elements of the engraving to underscore themes of judgment and divine intervention, typical of Baroque art. The tension between the earthly and the celestial realms highlights a world in conflict, where faith and morality are under siege. The artwork functions as a complex visual text, inviting ongoing interpretation.