Cyrus Freeing the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity 1685 - 1699

Johann Andreas Thelot created this silver oval relief depicting "Cyrus Freeing the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity." The monochromatic silver medium, with its varying textures and intricate details, conveys a sense of both grandeur and intimacy. The composition is divided into distinct spatial zones: Cyrus enthroned to the right, and the Jews in supplication to the left. Thelot uses an elevated perspective to survey the scene, thereby compressing foreground and background elements. This deliberate flattening is designed to heighten the symbolic interplay between captivity and liberation. The architectural elements of the Babylonian palace serve not only as a backdrop but also as a structural metaphor for power. Cyrus's gesture of liberation disrupts this architectural order. Thelot's work invites us to consider how power, freedom, and representation intersect. The lack of color directs our attention to the structure, and the way this structure informs the artwork's philosophical meaning.