Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon
1816 National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
About this artwork
This large-scale oil painting depicts a dramatic biblical scene from the Book of Joshua, rendered with theatrical lighting and epic proportions. It is a signature work of the British Romantic artist known for his catastrophic and sublime compositions.
Did you know?
John Martin was famously known as 'Mad Martin' for his obsession with apocalyptic themes and grand, terrifying scales that pushed the limits of Victorian sensibilities. This painting was his first major success at the Royal Academy, catapulting him to fame and setting the stage for his later, even larger-scale biblical masterpieces that influenced modern cinema's visual language.
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Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon
John Martin, 1816
