The Submersion of Pharoah's Army in the Red Sea

The Submersion of Pharoah's Army in the Red Sea, executed by the Venetian master Titian between 1514 and 1515, is arguably the most ambitious woodcut produced during the early decades of the Italian High Renaissance. This monumental biblical scene, depicting the dramatic climax of the Exodus narrative, captures the moment the pursuing Egyptian forces are engulfed by the returning waters of the Red Sea. Created within the dynamic period of 1501 to 1550, the complex design demonstrates the scale and mastery Titian brought to the demanding medium of the woodcut.

While Titian is widely recognized for his achievements in painting, his relatively small yet highly influential oeuvre of prints, especially this impressive woodcut, reveals his profound engagement with graphic arts. The technical challenge inherent in rendering a scene of such chaotic energy and dense detail using carved woodblocks is immense. Titian manipulated the printmaking process to achieve dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, highlighting the thrashing horses and drowning soldiers against the powerful surge of the sea. The artist’s skillful use of linear density and varied hatching creates an atmospheric, painterly effect distinct from the more rigid tradition of German printmaking.

Measuring over four feet wide when assembled from multiple individual blocks, this composition was clearly intended for wide public display rather than solely for private study, signifying the importance of large-scale prints during the Italian Renaissance. The work’s design exerted a lasting influence on subsequent representations of biblical disaster scenes throughout the century. Today, this vital historical print is preserved as part of the extensive collection of prints at the National Gallery of Art, providing crucial insight into the innovative graphic output of one of the era’s defining masters.