Jonah and the Whale

The moment when, according to the Old Testament, Jonah was spewn forth by the whale, having remained lodged in its stomach for three days and three nights, was the moment when he recognized the power of God. Lastman presents this crucial turning point, when the prophet has not yet reached the safety of land, in a small format and such as to fill the entire image. He foregrounds, alongside the fantastic fishcreature, the dramatically twisted nude Jonah. Corporeality, the treatment of light, and expressivity attest to parallels to Italian mannerist art – Lastman had travelled to Italy in the early years of the 17th century. The format and composition can presumably be explained by the fact that the painting was to serve as the store sign for the house of merchant Isaak Bodden in Amsterdam, which was called ‘Jonas’ as of 1620. Lastman played a very important role in the development of Dutch history painting in the group of socalled Pre-Rembrandtists and as Rembrandt’s teacher. The painting was widespread to many thanks to a mezzotint by W. Vaillant. (Kathrin DuBois)