1613
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Pharaoh's Army Drowns in the Red Sea is a 1613 ink by Antonio Tempesta, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching is packed with action. At the center, a group of soldiers on horseback and foot sink into churning water, their arms flailing. Above them, a cloud of figures—some holding hands, others pointing—float as if watching from the sky. On the right, a man in robes stands on a raised platform, gesturing toward the chaos below. The scene is dark and dramatic, with deep shadows and swirling lines. The artist used fine lines to create texture, like the waves and the soldiers’ armor. The Latin text at the bottom hints at the story: it’s about a biblical moment when an army is swallowed by the sea. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Tempesta made prints like this.
Antonio Tempesta, also called il Tempestino (1555 – 5 August 1630), was an Italian painter and engraver, whose art acted as a point of connection between Baroque Rome and the culture of Antwerp.
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