Drie mannen verschijnen aan Abraham / Lot en zijn familie vluchten uit Sodom 1716 - 1791

Pieter Tanjé made this print of two scenes from the Book of Genesis some time in the mid-18th century. It shows Abraham visited by three figures, and Lot fleeing Sodom. This piece speaks to the way biblical stories were deployed in the Dutch Republic, a culture shaped by religious debates. It shows us how people at the time might have understood their relationship to God and moral authority, but it also reveals how institutions like the church influenced artistic production. Note the contrast between Abraham's domestic setting and the dramatic destruction of Sodom. Consider what this contrast suggests about the relationship between earthly life and divine judgment. It invites a deeper exploration of the philosophical and religious currents that informed the artist’s work. Looking at prints like this, scholars research theology, popular culture, and the history of printmaking. We aim to understand art not just as aesthetic objects, but as windows into the social and intellectual worlds of the past.