An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
The Submersion of Pharaoh's Army in the Red Sea1514–15, printed 1549
Titian
Tiziano Vecellio, called Titian, was the greatest Italian painter of 16th-century Venice, known for his expressive brushwork, brilliant color, and hazy atmospheric effects. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, a small town on the Venetian side of the Alps around 1490. He moved to Venice when he was ten years old, and started his artistic training under the mosaicist Sebastiano Zuccato. He later joined Gentile's and Giovanni's Bellini workshops, and started a collaboration with the painter Giorgione on the frescoes of the Fondaco dei tedeschi in 1508. Titian's "Assumption of the Virgin" (1516-1518) for the church's high altar became the masterwork that helped establish him as one of the leading painters in the Venetian area. Over his career, Titian created paintings for prestigious commissioners, such as Pope Paul III, king Philip II of Spain, and Charles V. In his later years, Titian mainly focused on religious and mythological subjects. he died of plague on August 27, 1576 in Venice. Titian's artistic oeuvre had a great impact on later generations of painters, such as Rembrandt, Diego Velàzquez, Anton van Dyck and Peter Paul Rubens.
This composition is made up of twelve separately printed woodcuts to create one image in grand scale. The size rivals that of a history painting, and, unlike most prints, the composition would have been hung on the wall. This is confirmed by the complete lack of complete impressions from the date of the print's creation—around 1515. This and all extant impressions date from a later edition, published in 1549 by the publisher Domenico dalle Greche (Italian, active 1543-1558). The woodcut is based on a drawing by the Venetian master Titian, and the bold, expressive, and irregular marks of the woodcutter imitate his drawing manner. The narrative—that of the Israelites’ persecution under the Egyptian pharaoh and his army’s fate when they followed Moses into the Red Sea—is propelled across the twelve sheets with remarkable unity. The rolling clouds and turbulent sea culminate in the solid gravity of the magnificent cliff that overhangs the shore.
Titian may have identified the Egyptians in this composition, drowned in the Red Sea as they pursue the fleeing Israelites, with the League of Cambrai, a military alliance formed by the major powers in southern Europe and a menace to his hometown of Venice.
woodcut
Unframed: 40 x 55 cm (15 3/4 x 21 5/8 in.)
John L. Severance Fund
Once upon a time, in the early 1500s, artists sought to capture the essence of tales that held power and meaning—stories that echoed through the corridors of time. Among them was an extraordinary creation, a grand composition made from twelve individual woodcuts, ingeniously pieced together to form a single, monumental image. This was no ordinary print; it stood tall, rivaling the great history paintings of the era, demanding a place of honor on the wall, rather than in the pages of a book.
As you gaze upon it, you can feel the weight of history pressing against your soul, for these prints were not like any others. There are no complete impressions from the time of its creation around 1515, suggesting that this magnificent artwork was destined for something greater. The first glimpses of its power emerged later, in 1549, when Domenico dalle Greche—an Italian publisher with a flair for the dramatic—released a new edition, breathing fresh life into a story yearning to be told.
Meanwhile, the design they drew from had its roots in the skillful hand of Titian, a Venetian master known for his bold colors and expressive forms. The woodcutters, wielding their tools with precision and passion, imitated the swirling lines and vibrant energy of Titian's original drawing. Their work created bold, irregular marks that seemed to dance upon the wood, bringing Titian's vision to life in a way that spoke to the struggles and triumphs of humanity.
The heart of this composition unfolds as the viewer embarks on a journey through the narrative of the Israelites, who faced the daunting might of the Egyptian pharaoh and his relentless army. You can almost hear the distant roar of the Red Sea, as the sky fills with rolling clouds, dark and foreboding. The turbulent waves seem to rise, echoing the fear and hope intertwined within the hearts of the people. It is here that the script of destiny unfolds, as they follow Moses toward liberation.
As your eyes move across the twelve sheets, there is an extraordinary sense of unity, as if the very elements of nature conspire to tell the story. The composition reaches a crescendo at the solid gravity of a magnificent cliff, standing sentinel over the shore—the final barrier where faith confronts fear. It’s a moment immortalized in time, as the sun breaks through the storm, illuminating the courage of those who dare to believe in their freedom.
This work of art, alive with emotion and movement, serves as a reminder of the power of tales shared through the ages, resonating within us all. It's not just an image—it’s the triumph of the human spirit, an invitation to reflect on our own journeys and the stories yet to be told.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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