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The Confusion of Tongues (The Tower of Babel being struck down)

Maker

(engraver)
ca. 1530-1581 (Life dates)

After
(artist)
born 1544 or 1549, died 1638 (Life dates)

(publisher)
1587-1652

(publisher)
1618-1679

Title

The Confusion of Tongues (The Tower of Babel being struck down)

Date of Production

1643

Medium

engraving

Dimensions

Height: 23.1 cm
Width: 31.1 cm

Accession Number

G.1990.WL.2960.72

Mode of Acquisition

Witt Library, transfer, 1990

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords











Related Works

The New Testament

Label Text

This is one of two prints by Collaert depicting the construction and subsequent destruction of the Tower of Babel. According to the Book of Genesis, Babylonian citizens built this tower to reach the heavens. God, seeing man’s vanity, came down to Earth and dispersed humankind’s unified language into many, scattering people throughout the world. Today, Babel remains an archetypal symbol of man’s failed endeavour to attain divine glory through monumental building projects.

Provenance

Information not yet known or updated

Exhibition History

Print Room Display - Inscriptions, The Courtauld Gallery (Prints and Drawings Study Room), 23/02/2017-01/06/2017

Confusion of Tongues: Exploring the Limits of Language, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 16/06/2016-17/07/2016

Falling Up - The Gravity of Art, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 23/06/2011-04/09/2011 ...More

Special Display - Building and Destruction - Architectural Imagery from the Courtauld's Drawings Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/10/2009-17/01/2010 ...Less

Inscriptions

Inscription: Recto: upper right corner in image, brown ink: "AGEDUM, DESCENDAMUS ET CONFUNDAMUS IBI SERMONEM EORUM;NE QUIS SERMONEM ALTERIUS INTELLIGAT."; lower centre edge, brown ink: "Linguis confusis Nimrodi dissipat ausus, // Infectumque Deus vult opus esse virum // Genesis. Ca. 11. 3 / Vers. 7.".

Inscription: inscription : typed : lower margin & recto : later Witt inscription : Theatrum Biblicum, 1674. M. de VOS (?)//

Inscription: inscription : printed : within image & upper right : : AGEDUM, DESCENDAMUS ET CONFUNDAMUS IBI SERMONEM EORUMNE QUIS SERMONEM ALTERIUS INTELLIGAT. //

Information on this object may be incomplete and will be updated as research progresses. We are particularly committed to addressing any discriminatory or offensive language and ideas that might be present in our records. To help improve this record, and to enquire about images of The Courtauld Gallery Collection, please email gallery.collectionsonline@courtauld.ac.uk. Find out more about using and licensing our images.

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