Sebastiaen VRANCX
Flemish 1573-1647
The crossing of the Red Sea
c. 1597-1600
oil on canvas
116.0 x 183.0cm
Purchased through the Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of the National Australia Bank Limited, Founder Benefactor, 1989
E1-1989

Born in Antwerp, Vrancx was an almost exact contemporary of Rubens, but perhaps is stylistically indebted more to their Netherlandish predecessors Paul Bril and Jan Brueghel.
Vrancx travelled to Rome in the late 1590s and it is likely that this painting was commissioned by an Italian patron during this time as the influence of Italian artists, particularly Antonio Tempesta, is strongly evident.
Vrancx was noted for his decorative and frenetic battle scenes. In this depiction of the Old Testament story from Exodus, Vrancx has injected a contemporary feeling by putting the figures in costume from his time and dressing the Egyptian army, who were regarded as enemies of the Roman Catholic world during the Counter Reformation, in Turkish and German mercenary army costume.

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