Elijah Taken Up in a Chariot of Fire by Giuseppe Angeli

"Elijah Taken Up in a Chariot of Fire" (c. 1740/1755) by Venetian artist Giuseppe Angeli dramatically depicts the biblical moment when the prophet Elijah is carried to heaven in a fiery chariot. In the painting, an elderly man—Elisha—kneels on rocky ground, arms outstretched and face turned upward in awe and astonishment. Above him, Elijah sits in a chariot ablaze with coral-peach flames, drawn by powerful white horses that ascend through billowing, sand-colored clouds. Elijah’s gesture and upward gaze convey his acceptance of the divine call, while the swirling clouds and vibrant colors infuse the scene with movement and spiritual energy. Angeli’s composition captures both the human emotion of parting and the miraculous nature of Elijah’s ascent, making this work a vivid interpretation of a pivotal Old Testament story.

This painting is part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection at the National Gallery of Art and is in the public domain.