Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still

"Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still" (1816) by John Martin is a compelling example of a Religious painting within the Romanticism movement. The dramatic landscape depicts Joshua, the Israelite leader, appealing to God to halt the Sun to grant his troops extra daylight during their battle at Gibeon, as described in the Hebrew Bible. Martin's grandeur and vivid imagination exemplify the emotional and dramatic qualities of Romantic art, making this his breakthrough piece. It garnered praise at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition of 1816 and the British Institution in 1817, establishing him as a prominent artist of his time.