Lot en zijn dochters 1550 - 1570

Here is the audio guide description of the artwork: This print, titled ‘Lot en zijn dochters,’ of unknown date and artist, presents a dramatic scene rendered in ink on paper, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The artwork depicts a biblical narrative rife with complex themes. The story centers on Lot and his daughters, survivors of the destruction of Sodom. This Old Testament tale is laden with themes of survival, morality, and familial duty, complicated by elements of incest and desperation. The artist invites us to consider the psychological and ethical dimensions of survival under extreme circumstances. The depiction of the daughters offering their inebriated father wine to conceive raises difficult questions about gender, agency, and power within patriarchal structures. This engraving both reflects and refracts historical attitudes towards women, their roles, and their bodies, set against a backdrop of societal collapse and moral ambiguity. What does it mean to continue a bloodline at any cost? The piece prompts us to reflect on how such stories shape our understanding of right and wrong, and how historical narratives continue to inform contemporary dialogues about morality, family, and survival.