The artwork “Lot and his Daughter” is a religious painting by Albrecht Altdorfer, created in the year 1537. This oil painting is an exemplar of the Northern Renaissance art movement and measures 107.5 x 189 cm. It is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, located in Vienna, Austria.
In the artwork, Altdorfer presents a vivid, complex scene involving the biblical figures of Lot and his daughter. The central foreground depicts an elderly, bearded man, presumably Lot, seated with an undressed woman, presumably his daughter. She holds a glass of red liquid—likely wine—in her hand. Lot’s affectionate gesture and the daughter’s calm demeanor suggest an intimate and serene moment between the two figures, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. Behind them, a large and rich green drapery provides a backdrop that contrasts with their skin tones, accentuating their figures.
To their right, on the artwork’s periphery, another nude female figure is seated on the ground, appearing solitary and contemplative amidst the lush green landscape that transitions into a fiery sky in the far background. This element likely references the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, cities from the biblical narrative associated with Lot’s flight to safety. Objects such as a jousting lance rest beside a cushion in the lower right of the composition, which add an enigmatic quality to the scene, perhaps alluding to the broader biblical story or to certain symbolic meanings.
Altdorfer’s mastery of color and detail is evident in the artwork, from the intricate foliage to the atmospheric depiction of disaster in the distance, encapsulating both a personal narrative and a foreboding, apocalyptic setting in a single, complex tableau.
