About the Painting

Jonah and the Whale

by: William Taverner

William Taverner’s Jonah and the Whale (after Dughet), painted between 1745 and 1772, depicts the dramatic biblical story of Jonah being cast into the sea during a violent storm. A ship struggles among towering waves as Jonah is thrown overboard, while a great sea creature rises from the water nearby. On the rocky shore, figures watch the scene, with a distant temple representing Nineveh, the city Jonah had been called to reach. Taverner’s turbulent landscape and dramatic contrasts reflect the influence of French-Italian painter Gaspard Dughet, whose 17th-century landscapes emphasized the power and drama of nature. The oil painting is part of the National Trust’s collection at Stourhead in Wiltshire, England.

Click on the painting to learn more >>