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This painting is entitled Tower of Babel and was made by Pieter Bruegel. Bruegel lived from 1520 to 1569 and was a South-Netherlandish painter, He moved and settled in Brussels in 1563 and died just 6 years later in 1569 in his home. The work is from 1563 and is a oil painting on panel. The work is 45in by 61in and was produced in Brussels, France. This is Bruegel’s most famous work and is regarded as “One of the greatest paintings ever” by many in the artistic field.

The painting is Pieter Bruegel’s interpretation of what the Tower and surrounding city of Babel looked like after God struck down the Tower and scattered the people. The people of Babel were disrespecting and not worshiping God. The painting shows how they were doing this by having the Tower reaching up into the heavens, by having its top above the clouds, representing them thinking they were able to be god like, as well the people not worshiping God but actually a king as shown in the bottom left of the painting. Your attention is drawn to the top of the tower and the bright reds throughout, showing focal points such as the destruction. The painting is also very beautiful and has eminence detail, everywhere from the harbor with the boats and the people leaving to the people mourning and begging the king on the hill to save them. This is a beautiful and very detailed image of the scene that most likely would have unfolded after the wrath of God was put on the people of Babel. The chaos is there, the damage is there, and the devastation and panic is there. It is made to capture the moment in detail and show how the city was reacting. It shows that some people changed and looked to God, but it also captures many not turning from their old ways. This painting is one that would take ages to find everything in it but that’s what makes it so great and such an amazing depiction of the Tower of Babel’s destruction.

Richardson, Alan. Genesis I-XI. London, UK: SCM Press, 1959.

“BOOK OF GENESIS CHAPTER 11:1-9 SUMMARY.” Shmoop.com. Accessed December 11, 2016. http://www.shmoop.com/genesis/chapter-11-verse-1-9-summary.html.

“Pieter Bruegel the Elder.” Artbible.info. Accessed December 11, 2016. http://www.artbible.info/art/biography/pieter-bruegel-the-elder.

Barton, John, and John Muddiman. The Oxford Bible Commentary. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

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http://www.artbible.info/art/large/122.html

 

 

 

Max Dowdy