Jael and Sisera
1866
Gustave Doré, a master of Romanticism, brings a dramatic biblical showdown to life in this intense engraving from his famous 1866 Bible illustrations. Here, Jael stands triumphantly at the entrance of her tent, pulling back the heavy curtain to reveal the slain commander Sisera lying dead at her feet—she famously killed him by driving a tent peg through his head while he slept! Outside, the approaching army of Barak can be seen in the distance, about to discover that their enemy has already been defeated by a lone woman. Doré’s mastery of light and shadow makes the scene feel like a dramatic movie still, capturing the gritty realism of ancient warfare.
- Technique
- Engraving
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