The Submersion of Pharaoh's Army in the Red Sea c. 1515 - 1549

"The Submersion of Pharaoh's Army in the Red Sea" is a dramatic woodcut by the Venetian master Titian, dating from c. 1515–1549. This artwork depicts the biblical story of the drowning of Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea, following Moses's parting of the waters to allow the Israelites to escape from Egypt. Titian's masterful use of line and shadow create a sense of movement and chaos as the soldiers are swept away by the surging waves, while the Israelites on the opposite shore look on in awe. The woodcut, now located at the Art Institute of Chicago, demonstrates Titian's early exploration of dramatic narrative and his technical mastery of the printmaking medium.