The Sun and the Moon Stand Still by Henry Hugh Armstead, Circa 1863, but not published until 1880–81. Proof wood engraving cut by the Dalziel Brothers, printed on India paper. 7 x 6¼ inches. Plate 43. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
In Joshua 10: 12–13, God stops the Sun and Moon in order to give the Israelites another full day in which to beat the Amorites in battle. Armitage represents the conflict in this febrile, dynamic design which conflates the Jews’ advance in a bold arc from background to foreground, with the casualties suffered by their enemies. The archaeological details – costumes, weapons, a chariot – are validating signs of the event’s reality. A figure gestures to the arrested Sun in acknowledgment of God’s intervention.
Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Bibliography
Dalziels’ Bible Gallery. London: Routledge, 1881 [1880].
Created 10 July 2026