Elijah and the Widow's Son, from "Dalziels' Bible Gallery"

Art Historical Context

Behold *Elijah and the Widow Son*, a poignant wood engraving from the Victorian-era *Dalziels' Bible Gallery*1865–81), now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department. by Pre-Raphaelite painter Madox Brown and masterfully engraved by the Dalziel Brothers—renowned for their intricate reproductive prints—this image captures the biblical miracle from 1 Kings 17. Here, the prophet Elijah stretches over the widow's lifeless son, breathing life back into him amid a scene of raw maternal grief and divine intervention. Tags highlighting boys, men, and mothers underscore the emotional family dynamics at its heart. Printed on delicate India paper and mounted on thin card, the medium exemplifies 19th-century wood engraving techniques, where fine-grained boxwood blocks allowed for exceptional detail rivaling paintings. The Dalziel Brothers' gallery was a collaborative triumph, pairing top artists like Brown with skilled engravers to produce affordable, high-quality Bible illustrations for a growing middle-class audience eager for moral and artistic edification. This print reflects the Pre-Raphaelite movement's emphasis on vivid realism, rich textures, and spiritual depth, bridging fine art and popular devotion. Donated anonymously in 1926, it invites visitors to ponder themes of faith, loss, and resurrection that resonated deeply in Victorian Britain. (198 words)

About the Artist

Camden Press|Scribner and Welford|Dalziel Brothers|Ford Madox Brown (British|American|British) · 1857 |1800 |1839 –1893 |1899 |1893

British, London|New York, NY|British, active 1839–93