Plagen van de kikkers, muggen en steekvliegen by Johann Sadeler I

Plagen van de kikkers, muggen en steekvliegen 1585

aged paper

mechanical pen drawing

pen sketch

sketch book

personal sketchbook

pen-ink sketch

pen and pencil

pen work

sketchbook drawing

sketchbook art

"Plagen van de kikkers, muggen en steekvliegen" (Plagues of Frogs, Mosquitoes, and Flies), a 1585 engraving by Johann Sadeler I, depicts a scene from the Book of Exodus. It shows the Egyptians being plagued by frogs, a punishment from God for their refusal to let the Israelites go free. The engraving uses realistic details to show the horror of the plague, emphasizing the anguish of the Egyptians as they are surrounded by frogs, even indoors. This engraving, now in the Rijksmuseum, is a powerful testament to the use of art in communicating religious stories.