‘The Spies Escape,’ by Frederic Leighton. Plate 41. 6½ x 7 inches. Proof wood engraving by the Dalziels; printed on India paper and published at the end of 1880, though post-dated 1881 to allow it to be sold as a new book in the latter year as well. [Click on image to enlarge it.]
This action-packed scene depicts the spies, who have been sent by Joshua to reconnoitre the city of Jericho, as they make their escape down a rope from the house of Rahab (Joshua 2). Typically, Leighton endows them with muscular, neo-classical torsos. Their twisted postures, as they struggle down the wall, adds to the sense of rising tension as Rahab is on the look-out for the Israelites’ enemies.
Image scan and text by Simon Cooke. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned it and (2) link to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.
Bibliography
Dalziels’ Bible Gallery. London: Routledge, 1881 [1880].
Created 30 June 2026