Plate 24: The Israelites Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem, from 'The Battles of the Old Testament'

Art Historical Context

Plate 24 from Antonio Tempesta's *The Battles of the Old*, etched around 1590–1610, captures a pivotal biblical moment: the Israelites rebuilding Jerusalem's walls under Nehemiah's leadership. Italian artist Tempesta, renowned for his dynamic battle scenes and Mannerist style, designed this intricate composition, while Flemish engraver Nicolaus vanelst brought it to life through precise etching techniques. Printed on a modest sheet (8 3/16 × 11 3/16 in.), it vividly portrays men laboring with tools amid architectural scaffolds, emphasizing themes of resilience and communal effort. This print belongs to a larger series illustrating Old Testament conflicts and triumphs, reflecting the era's fascination with heroic narratives and religious history during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Etching allowed for fine lines and rich tonal contrasts, making these affordable prints popular for collectors and educators across Europe. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection, this work highlights the collaborative artistry of design and printmaking, offering visitors a window into 17th-century interpretations of ancient scripture through bustling, architectural drama.

About the Artist

Antonio Tempesta|Nicolaus van Aelst · 1555–1630

Antonio Tempesta (1555–1630), known as 'Il Tempestino,' was a Florentine painter and printmaker whose extraordinary output of approximately 1,700 etchings made him one of the most influential printmakers of the early Baroque period. Born in Florence and trained under Santi di Tito and the Flemish master Joannes Stradanus, he enrolled in the Accademia del Disegno in 1576 before relocating to Rome i...