Jonah Cast Out by the Whale onto the Shore of Nineveh

Pen and brown ink over indications in black chalk, within brown ink framing lines; indented for transferMaarten van Heemskerck (Dutch, 1498–1574)/1566

Description

In this dramatic composition, the Old Testament prophet Jonah floats midair after being vomited onto dry land by a giant fish. The artist Maarten van Heemskerck drew the composition as the second of four illustrations of episodes from the biblical book of Jonah, which describes how the prophet was swallowed by a fish and regurgitated after three days. Jonah’s trial was often interpreted as a metaphor for exile and redemption, or for Christ’s resurrection. Heemskerck was one of the most prolific designers of prints in the Netherlands in the mid-1500s. Working with the engraver Philips Galle in his native city of Haarlem, the drawing was indented with a dull knife for transfer onto a copperplate to be engraved. Heemskerck was an instrumental figure in bringing ideas about Italian art to northern Europe. Here, he incorporates architecture and figures reminiscent of types he saw and sketched on a trip to Italy in the 1530s.

Provenance

Jacob Jansz Guldewaghen, Burgermeester of Haarlem; by descent to his son, Jan Jacobsz Guldewaghen; Pieter Saenredam, Haarlem [1597-1665]; his sale, April 9-10, 1669, Haarlem (Het Prinsenhof).; Adriaan Van der Willigen [Dutch, 1766-1841]; by descent to his nephew, Adriaan Van der Willigen II [Dutch, 1810-1876]; his sale, June 10–11, 1874, A.G. De Visser, The Hague, lot 111 (sold with full set of 4 drawings from the Jonah series); purchased by Dircksen; with Dirk Dircksen, The Hague; Sir R. Brinsley Ford [1908-1999], London, England; Sold, February 26, 1947, Sotheby & Co., London, lot 30 “Four scenes from the Old Testament.” Purchased at the sale by Colnaghi, London (£50); Sir Robert Witt [1872-1952], London, England; with Heinrich Eisenmann, London, England; with Elkin Mathews, Ltd, London, ca. 1950 (cat. 129); Dr. Einar Perman [1893-1976], Stockholm, by descent to the present owners; by descent, Stockholm; (Sotheby's, New York, NY), sold to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH; The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Dimensions

19.6 × 25 cm

Source

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Movement / Period

Drawings

Accession No

2024.28

Official Citations

[The Cleveland Museum of Art Official Record][Full Resolution Image]

Curatorial Affinity Stream

Continuing the Universe of Maarten van Heemskerck (Dutch, 1498–1574)

Drawings • Netherlands • Harmonious Works & Contemporaries

Continuous Discovery