LONDON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- British culture and arts minister Michael Ellis Thursday announced he has placed an export ban on the work, The Destruction of Pharaoh's Host by artist John Martin, in a bid to prevent the rare watercolor from being exported.

The painting, depicting the famous Biblical story of the parting of the Red Sea, is heading to an overseas home unless 2 million U.S. dollars can be raised.

The drawing, by Martin (1789-1854) illustrates the story of Moses releasing the waters of the Red Sea, after they had miraculously parted to allow the fleeing Israelites to cross, thereby drowning the pursuing Egyptian army.

Employing a panoramic composition to magnificent effect, Martin plays with the scale of the figures and the scenery to maximize the epic nature of the drama. The emotional force of this scene of deliverance and retribution is heightened by a blood red sunset below a sweeping black sky.

Martin's works of Biblical subjects, such as The Destruction of Pharaoh's Host published in 1833, were hugely popular and influential with admirers including the author Charles Dickens and the famous Bronte sisters who grew up with them on the walls of their father's parsonage.

Ellis said: "This incredibly dramatic picture captures the imaginative and apocalyptic subjects for which Martin is best known. I hope it can remain in the UK, where it can be admired and studied for many years to come."