Great 17th Century Painting, Lot And His Family Fleeing Sodom

An important Portuguese painting from the mid-17th century. This oil on canvas work, attributed to the circle of Diogo Pereira (1630-1658), depicts Lot and his family fleeing the destruction of Sodom.

The subject, taken from the book of Genesis, represents one of the most spectacular episodes of the Old Testament. Warned by angels of Sodom's impending destruction, Lot flees the city with his wife and two daughters. During their escape, they are warned not to look back toward the site of the catastrophe; Lot's wife, disobeying the divine order, nevertheless looks back and is transformed into a pillar of salt.

The biblical event, however, becomes above all the pretext for a grandiose landscape invention, an architectural caprice amidst the flames. Sodom appears as a vast, fantastical city engulfed by fire: the space expands into a succession of palaces, towers, temples, and imaginary architecture, gradually dissolved in the vapors and light of the catastrophe.

The composition's lighting is particularly effective. The light seems to be generated directly from the fire and propagated through the smoke, creating a suggestive atmospheric depth and lending the entire scene a visionary, apocalyptic quality.

The monumentality of the architecture, contrasted with the deliberately minute dimensions of the figures, finds significant parallels in the work of Diogo Pereira, a singular protagonist of 17th-century Portuguese painting. Active primarily in Lisbon in the mid-century, Pereira specialized in an extremely personal repertoire of burned cities, such as the destruction of Troy and Sodom (the painting is not currently accompanied by an expert opinion, but one can be requested upon payment of the relevant additional costs).

A painting of great scenic charm and rare narrative power, in which the biblical story is transformed into a spectacular vision of ruin and fire. The unique subject matter, the strong chiaroscuro contrast, and the connection to one of the most original figures in Portuguese painting make it a particularly fitting work for a collection dedicated to European Baroque painting and fantastic landscapes.

Refined 20th-century frame in lacquered and gilded wood, highly decorated, with some signs of aging. The work has already been restored with relining, replacement of the stretcher, and restoration of the color in small areas; overall, it is in good condition.

internal measures: H 70 x W 98 cm

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