1970.78
The Burning of Sodom
Artist
Master of the Lille Sermon
(before 1600 - )
Title
The Burning of Sodom
Creation Date
ca. 1550-1575
Century
16th century
Dimensions
17 1/2 in. x 28 1/8 in. (44.5 cm. x 71.5 cm.)
Object Type
painting
Creation Place
Europe, Flanders, Flanders
Medium and Support
oil on panel
Credit Line
Museum Purchase, Florence C. Quinby Fund, in memory of Henry Cole Quinby, Honorary Degree, 1916
Copyright
Public Domain
Accession Number
1970.78
In The Burning of Sodom a high horizon line combines with an elevated foreground to reveal a sweeping panorama—a composition favored by Flemish painters of the time. Color helps define depth, with a reddish brown hue in the foreground, followed by green and blue shades in the middle and background. In the Book of Genesis, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed when God condemned their inhabitants for their lascivious lifestyles. Angels were sent to the city of Sodom, but unable to find ten righteous people there to rescue, they called upon Lot, Abraham’s nephew, and led him and his family from the city. The only stipulation was that they must not look back at their burning home. When Lot’s wife disobeyed, she was turned into a pillar of salt. Two distraught daughters got Lot drunk, as seen in the foreground, and then enticed him to father their children.
