The Destruction of Pharaoh's Army

Philip James de Loutherbourg painted The Destruction of Pharaoh's Army around 1792, depicting the Old Testament miracle of the Red Sea — Moses parting the waters to allow the Israelites to cross, then closing them on the pursuing Egyptian army — as a vehicle for sublime landscape effects of overwhelming scale and terror. De Loutherbourg's theatrical background made him the natural painter for this type of catastrophic biblical event: the vast scale of the natural disaster, the tiny human figures overwhelmed by elemental forces, and the combination of fire, water, and light create exactly the kind of sublime spectacle he had produced on stage. The painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy and admired for its dramatic power.

De Loutherbourg orchestrates a scene of overwhelming chaos with crashing waves, drowning figures, and divine light piercing the darkness. His theatrical training is evident in the dramatic composition and spectacular lighting effects.