1516
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Joshua, David, Judas Maccabees is a 1516 ink by Lucas van Leyden, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows three men on horseback, each holding a banner with Latin words. The scene is crowded with trees, animals, and people in the background. One man rides a horse with a banner that reads *JOSVE REX N*, another has *DAVID REX ISRAEL*, and the third *JVDAS MACHABEVS*. The artist packed a lot into this small space—every corner has details like shields, weapons, and strange creatures. The banners suggest these are biblical kings, but the artist mixed them together in one scene. If you like this style, look up woodcut to see how artists carved images into wood blocks.
Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very accomplished engraver.
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