The Israelites Cross the Jordan with Dry Feet. Artist: Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld. Engraver: Unknown. Source: Die Bibel in Bildern, Plate 67. Click on image to enlarge it.
And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. [Joshua 3: 17; King James Bible]
Here Schnorr von Carolsfeld displays his skills as a draughtsman in this complex composition, rich enough for a large religious painting. We first catch sight of two juxtaposed figures — a powerful warrior (Joshua?) on horseback who turns to look behind him at the Ark of the Covenant and the beautiful barefoot woman who holds a jug in one hand while putting her arm around her little boy’s shoulders. A beautiful riverscape appears on the upper right, and the crowd of Israelites occupy the center. The only problem here, as it has been in some of his other illustrations, is the rising water, which looks like carved stone.
Related material
You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the Hathi Digital Trust Library and the Columbia University Library and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. —George P. Landow.
Bibliography
Die Bibel in Bildern [Picture Bible] von Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld. Leipzig: Georg Wigands, 1860. Hathi Digital Trust Library online version of a copy in the Columbia University Library. Web. 25 June 2016.
Last modified 25 June 2016