Lot and His Daughters

For its combination of horror and sexual intrigue, the story of Lot and his daughters, in the book of Genesis (19:30-38), was a popular subject among seventeenth-century Dutch and Flemish artists. Here, Cornelis van Poelenburgh amped up the drama of the tale through Italian-influenced techniques like chiaroscuro, a strong contrast between light and dark. Notice how the three principal figures, with their smooth and muscular bodies reminiscent of Greco-Roman sculptures, stand out against the shadowy grotto, as if illuminated by a spotlight.