The Sun and the Moon Stand Still, from "Dalziels' Bible Gallery" 1881

Henry Hugh Armstead created this engraving, "The Sun and the Moon Stand Still," as part of "Dalziels' Bible Gallery." The intricate lines and dense composition immediately evoke a sense of chaos and epic struggle. The work is structured around a dramatic contrast between the stillness of the sky, where the sun and moon hang suspended, and the frenetic battle unfolding below. Armstead uses line to create texture, differentiating between the smooth, celestial bodies and the rough, chaotic textures of the battlefield. The figures, densely packed and overlapping, form a dynamic mass. The composition divides into two distinct registers: the ordered, elevated plane of the Israelite leaders and the chaotic, entangled mass of combatants below. This division highlights a theme of divine intervention. The lines, forms, and careful arrangement of figures create an allegory of power. The engraving’s power lies in its formal structure and the dynamic interplay between stillness and movement, order and chaos.