Jona uitgespuwd door de vis - Gerard de Jode

A detailed sixteenth-century engraving depicting the biblical scene of Jonah being cast ashore by a large, fantastical sea creature.

This engraving, attributed to the Dutch cartographer and printmaker Gerard de Jode, depicts the biblical narrative of Jonah being cast forth by the great fish. The composition is characteristic of Northern Mannerism, featuring a highly stylised, monstrous creature emerging from the surf to deposit the prophet onto a rocky shore. The fish is rendered with exaggerated features, including large, expressive eyes and elaborate, fan-like fins that dominate the left side of the frame.

Jonah is shown in a dynamic, contorted pose, shielding his face with his cloak as he crawls onto the land. His figure reflects the influence of contemporary Italian art, with a focus on muscular tension and dramatic movement. The background provides a detailed coastal setting, complete with a distant harbour, ships, and architectural structures perched upon cliffs. This inclusion of a secondary narrative space, typical of sixteenth-century print culture, invites the viewer to scan the horizon beyond the immediate drama of the foreground.

The print is executed with fine, controlled lines that define the textures of the water, the scales of the creature, and the rugged terrain. The Latin inscription at the base, referencing the Book of Jonah, provides the theological context for the scene. As a publisher and engraver, de Jode was instrumental in circulating such biblical imagery across Europe, often collaborating with other artists to produce series of prints that served both devotional and educational purposes. The work demonstrates the technical precision of the period, balancing the fantastical nature of the subject with a rigorous approach to form and perspective. This print remains a clear example of the aesthetic priorities of the late sixteenth-century Low Countries, where mythological and religious subjects were treated with a blend of observation and imaginative invention.