Lot and his Daughters
Marcantonio FranceschiniAfter 1676-77
Dulwich Picture Gallery
London, United Kingdom
The story of Lot and his daughters is told in Genesis XIX, 33-5. Fleeing the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife disobeys the divine will, looks back, and is turned into a pillar of salt. Taking refuge in a cave, Lot's daughters believe that their father is the last surviving male. To secure the future of the human race, therefore, they get him drunk and seduce him. This rather unsavoury story was very popular with Baroque artists, often for less than pious reasons - it offered a saucy seduction scene with an impeccable Biblical pedigree.
Franceschini, trained by Cignani, ensured the survival of the Bolognese classicist style well into the 18th century. Like his master, he was extremely successful in his day.
- Title: Lot and his Daughters
- Creator Lifespan: 1648 - 1729
- Date: After 1676-77
- Physical Dimensions: w897 x h1063 cm
- Type: Painting
- Medium: Oil
- Work Notes: DPG629 was attributed to Gennari until recognised by D. Miller as a replica of an early work by Franceschini (of 1676/7), last recorded in the Motta collection, 1956 (letters on file, 1972, 1996).
- Work Nationality: Italian
- Support: Canvas
- Provenance: Gift of Captain A.E.F.Fuller, 1951.
- Further Information: The story of Lot and his Daughters was a popular subject in Renaissance and Baroque art. It was often depicted in the context of 'Power of Women' (Weibermacht in Germanwhich) imagery, which warned men against the dangers of succumbing to female seduction. Other frequent portrayals include Judith beheading Holofernes and Samson and Delilah.
- Artist: Franceschini, Marcantonio
- Acquisition Method: Fuller, Captain A.E.F. (Gift, 1951)
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