Loth en zijn familie verlaten de stad Sodom 1569

Philips Galle made this engraving, "Lot and his Family leaving the City of Sodom," sometime before his death in 1612. The dramatic scene represents a story from the Book of Genesis, but it's been thoroughly Romanized. Galle was a leading printmaker in Antwerp, a city then at the heart of the Counter-Reformation. Biblical stories were newly charged as propaganda, and Galle's vision, while appearing to illustrate scripture, subtly reinforced the Catholic Church's authority. Consider how the classical architecture, consumed by flames, signifies the collapse of pagan society due to its wickedness. Lot’s family flees, representing the righteous saved through faith. Even Lot's wife, turned to salt for her disobedience, serves as a cautionary figure, reinforcing the Church's moral teachings. Understanding this image means researching the religious and political climate of 16th-century Antwerp, and the role printmakers played in shaping public opinion. It also means understanding how biblical narratives were translated into visual language to suit specific ideological purposes. Art, after all, doesn't exist in a vacuum, but reflects the complex world in which it was created.