A Plague of Locusts
Posted by Anonymous | | Posted On Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 9:26 PM
- James Tissot
I recently rediscovered an artist I appreciate when I was looking through art relating to Exodus. Going through works dedicated to Moses, I found one of my favorite paintings by a French painter named James Tissot.
This painting is notably one of his less emotion-filled works, and that is exactly why I enjoy it as much as I do. In this painting, Moses and Aaron can be seen calling upon God for help against the Egyptians. Moses and Aaron are turned away from the viewer, and the city and pyramids take up most of the painting. This makes the emphasis not on the moment, but on the scenes which will occur afterward. I think it's a very dramatic way to display a larger-than-life occurrence. You can imagine the locusts, in the black gloom, preparing to take up everything in sight.
Exodus 10: 13 - 15
So Moses raised his staff over Egypt, and the Lord caused an east wind to blow over the land all that day and through the night. When morning arrived, the east wind had brought the locusts. And the locusts swarmed over the whole land of Egypt, settling in dense swarms from one end of the country to the other. It was the worst locust plague in Egyptian history, and there has never been another one like it. For the locusts covered the whole country and darkened the land. They devoured every plant in the fields and all the fruit on the trees that had survived the hailstorm. Not a single leaf was left on the trees and plants throughout the land of Egypt.
*EDIT* - I made a typo :( I was waiting for class to start while typing it. Cut me some slack :P
Ah! I love this! Drew, you're so art-tastic.
I really love how much emotion and energy is in their hands. I don't know how to explain it, but even just look at their fingers! The way they're standing is pretty docile, but their hands reveal everything going on behind the scenes.
Or at least, I think so. haha
You made an interesting comment about how "You can imagine the locusts, in the black gloom, preparing to take up everything in sight".
I agree that the horizon can almost portray the locusts that are to come. This gives witness to me that God is faithful before we can see the things he is bringing.
Our actions should be similar to that of Moses and Aaron. Waiting, watching, praying, crying out for the things that God is sure to bring.
oh, just admit it, youre a bad speeler. :D