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The inscription at lower center of The Submersion describes the Israelites’ persecution under the Egyptian pharaoh and his army’s fate when they followed Moses into the Red Sea. The publisher opportunistically refers to the “great and immortal hand” of Titian in this legend, though the artist was still very much alive.
Here Titian creates a dramatic narrative that compellingly illustrates an episode recounted in the Book of Exodus of the Old Testament: the Egyptian army is submerged in the Red Sea following Moses’ parting of the waters, which had allowed the Israelites to pass safely as they fled their persecutors.
The Submersion of Pharaoh's Army in the Red Sea, from twelve blocks: 'Block A' showing the tower of the fortress, part of the town and furling banner. This print, made from twelve separate blocks, is Titian's largest woodcut design.
Titian depicted the moment just after the Israelites safely crossed the seabed. Moses raises his staff to close the divided waters, and Pharaoh's army is lost to the tumultuous waves. Titian probably drew the dramatic scene directly on the woodblocks.
The narrative—that of the Israelites’ persecution under the Egyptian pharaoh and his army’s fate when they followed Moses into the Red Sea—is propelled across the twelve sheets with remarkable unity.
The size rivals that of a painting, and the composition would have hung on a wall. Titian’s bold vision presents nature as a vehicle of God’s mercy and wrath. Moses, at right, having parted the seas for the Israelites to pass, commands them to close over the Egyptian forces (Exodus 14:21–31).
Jan 19, 2019 · Titian propelled the narrative with remarkable unity, dedicating entire blocks to the turbulent sea and rolling clouds that culminate in a magnificent cliff and Renaissance city. Some have interpreted the scene as an allegory of Venice’s troubles with the League of Cambrai, a military alliance that threatened the island city.
