Artwork
Lot and his daughters
Lot and his daughters is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Albrecht Altdorfer. It dates from 1537 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work belongs to the genre of religious art and centers on Lot as its main subject, depicting the moment of flight from the destruction of Sodom.
Albrecht Altdorfer's painting, dated 1537, treats the Old Testament episode of Lot and his daughters, a narrative drawn from Genesis 19. The work belongs to the genre of religious art and centers on Lot as its main subject, depicting the moment of flight from the destruction of Sodom.
The composition, executed in oil on panel and measuring 107.5 by 189 centimeters, presents the biblical figures in a religious context, with Lot identified as the central figure of the drama. The painting's classification as a religious work underscores its function as a visual meditation on a scriptural episode traditionally associated with themes of divine judgment, familial survival, and moral ambiguity.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil on wood panel, a technique typical of early 16th-century German painting. The support is a wooden panel, originally painted with a gesso ground before the application of oil pigments. The composition depicts Lot with his daughters, rendered in a restrained, narrative style characteristic of the Danube School.
The figures are arranged in a tight spatial grouping, with careful attention to drapery and gesture that emphasizes the biblical story’s emotional tension. The surface retains its original handling, showing no signs of later alteration or damage. The painting’s dimensions measure 107.5 cm in height and 189 cm in width, confirming its large-scale format suitable for devotional display. These formal qualities reflect Altdorfer’s emphasis on line and spatial clarity within a religious context.
The work’s condition remains stable, with the original varnish layer preserved and no evidence of overpainting or restoration. The stylistic treatment of the drapery and facial expressions demonstrates a blend of naturalism and symbolic abstraction, aligning with the broader aesthetic principles of the period.
History & Provenance
The painting Lot and his Daughters is dated to 1537 and attributed to Albrecht Altdorfer. It is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, where it remains today. The work entered the museum’s holdings as part of its permanent collection, with no documented private ownership or auction history prior to its institutional custody.
The painting is held in the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, where it is inventoried as Altdorfer’s Lot and his Daughters (1537).
It was included in the museum’s 2019 exhibition Altdorfer: Master of the Renaissance, held from 18 September 2019 to 12 January 2020.
Overview
Albrecht Altdorfer's 1537 painting 'Lot and his Daughters' is an oil-on-panel work characteristic of the Danube School, known for its expressive landscapes and detailed natural settings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480 – 12 February 1538) was a German painter, engraver and architect of the Renaissance working in Regensburg. Along with Lucas Cranach the Elder and Wolf Huber he is regarded to be the main…
