Sodom and Gomorrah
1852
John Martin was the 19th-century equivalent of a Hollywood special effects director, specializing in biblical catastrophes. In this dramatic scene, a colossal vortex of fire and lightning consumes the wicked cities, while Lot and his daughters flee in terror to the right. The tiny, solitary figure in the center distance is likely Lot's wife, frozen as a pillar of salt for looking back at the destruction. It’s a perfect example of the Romantic 'Sublime'—art designed to make you feel small and terrified against the power of nature and God.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
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