Yonah and the Fish in Art/0

Yonah and the Fish in Art

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Introduction

Yonah 1-2 describe how Yonah is thrown overboard into the sea, swallowed by a fish, and finally released.The three artworks depicted here, Jan Breughel the Elder's oil painting,¹ Giulio Romano's ink drawing² and Joseph Asarfati's miniature from the Cervera Bible, all depict various aspects of the miraculous scene. They differ in their portrayals of each of the main characters, raising questions about Yonah's state of mind when entrapped, the intended function of the fish, and the impact of the incident on the sailors.

Contrasting Images

Jan Breughel

Breughel's image is almost a seascape, with most of the canvas filled with the blue-greens of the rough sea, menacing waves, and dark, cloud filled sky.  In the left background, a series of uninviting, jagged rocks tower out of the sea, lending an air of danger to the composition. In the foreground, opposite the cliffs, the lighting illuminates the prophet and fish. A red garbed, penitent Yonah walks out of the massive critter towards the empty shore, as his hands clasp in prayer.  The fish itself, with its oversized face and droopy eyes, looks more comic than ominous.

Giulio Romano

This drawing is the busiest of the three images.  In the foreground, a petrified Yonah is spewed forth unceremoniously from a fantastical fish.  The creature is dragon-like, with a long tail, bird's head, and crocodile jaws. To the left, several onlookers edge away in fear, their arms outstretched as if to keep the terrifying monster away. In the background of the image, the sailors are depicted looking out over the boat's gunwhale, gesturing toward the water into which they have thrown Yonah. One stands with his arms raised, apparently distraught over the deed.

Joseph Asarfati

This miniature manages to tell the story with a minimum of detail. At the top of the image, three sailors sit in the small boat barely looking at Yonah, apparently indifferent to his danger. The prophet is depicted beneath them, and contrary to expectations, heads not into a raging sea, but straight from the boat into the mouth of the fish. He, like the sailors, appears calm, exhibiting no signs of distress or attempts to save himself. In contrast to the other images, this fish is fairly realistic looking, and hardly bigger than Yonah himself.

Relationship to the Biblical Text The artists' choices reflect certain ambiguities in the Biblical text and different possible interpretive stances:

Yonah's Feelings While Brueghel's Yonah is clearly penitent,

Who witnessed the miracle?

The Fish

Impact on Sailors

Where did Yonah Arrive?

¹ Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568-1625) was a Flemish painter who came from a family of artists.  He is known for his versatility, making history and allegorical paintings, landscapes, and flower still lifes.  He often collaborated with his close friend, Peter Paul Ruebens. The painting is found in Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany.

² Giulio Romano (1599-1546), born Giulio Pippi, was an Italian painter and architect.  He was a student of Raphael and one of the initiators of the Mannerist style.  This drawing is currently housed in the Hermitage Museum.