The Passover

Simeon Solomon

Wood engraving by the Dalziels [1862].

7 x 5¼ inches

Alex Foley, Art Pictures from the Old Testament, p.67.

Exodus, xii: 3–10. An ensemble piece which represents the patriarch of the family sprinkling the door-post with blood in order to protect the house from God’s punishment of the Egyptians, which will ‘pass over’; the lamb has been killed in readiness for the evening. The musculature of the male figure reflects the influence of classical studies, although the overall effect is domestic and intimate rather than heroic. The lack of dramatic tension conveys the Israelites’ confidence in God’s promises.

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