Artwork
Elijah in the Wilderness Fed by Ravens
Elijah in the Wilderness Fed by Ravens is a print by the Baroque artist Jan Pietersz Saenredam. It dates from 1604 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1991.263
- Credit line
- Seventy-fifth anniversary gift of Louise S. Richards
About this work
Jan Saenredam cut the image into metal himself, a trick called engraving.
A raven drops bread at a weary man’s feet in a rocky desert. The scene comes straight from the Old Testament. Elijah, starving in the wilderness, gets fed by birds sent by God.
This print was made in 1604, when Dutch artists loved dramatic lighting. Jan Saenredam cut the image into metal himself, a trick called engraving. You can see every scratch in the plate that made these shadows.
Look next at Jan Saenredam (Dutch, 1565–1607).
Overview
Elijah in the Wilderness Fed by Ravens is a 1604 print depicting a pivotal moment from the Old Testament. The image shows the prophet Elijah, weary and in the wilderness, being sustained by a raven delivering bread, as narrated in the biblical account of his survival through divine intervention.
Subject & Meaning
The print illustrates Elijah's reliance on divine providence during his exile. The scene conveys themes of faith, survival, and the direct intervention of the divine in human life, rooted in the biblical story (1 Kings 17:2-6) where ravens, sent by God, bring him bread and meat.
Technique & Style
Created using the engraving technique, the print showcases the artist's control over line and shadow. The visible scratches from the metal plate engraving process, a hallmark of the medium, contribute to the dramatic lighting characteristic of Dutch art from this period.
History & Provenance
Engraved by Jan Saenredam (Dutch, 1565–1607) in 1604, the work reflects the Dutch affinity for dramatic lighting during the early 17th century. Saenredam's direct involvement in cutting the image into metal highlights his mastery of engraving.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Pieterszoon (abbr. Pietersz.) Saenredam (c. 1565 – 6 April 1607) was a Dutch Northern Mannerist painter, printmaker in engraving, and cartographer, and father of the painter of church interiors, Pieter Jansz…
