King Saul Consulting The Witch Of Endor. Copper Engraving, c1738

Descripción

Artist Salvatore Rosa & A. Laurentius (Andrew Lawrence), Engraver 1710-1747. "Saul and The Witch Of Endor". c1738. Large copper engraving in first state with Saul's shroud & the Witch all with highlighted white from brazier fire. Image taken from bible passage "Sam 28 v14". Wholly engraved by Lawrence when working for Jacque-Phillipe Le Bas, one of approx 30 engraved works he completed in his life. Measures: Approx 43 x 29 cm. Condition. Plate itself is clean and no stains, it has two handwritten bible passages at top and bottom on the reverse one looks to be from the 17th c and the other later, two marks of once being hinged at top and a tiny closed split at top edge, several small edge professional repairs again not recent, confirming (to me) this was once in collection! Trimmed close without titles beneath. A Lovely example of this scarce early18th century copper engraving. Very Dramatic and would frame magnificently *NOTES: The Witch standing on the right summoning the ghost of the prophet Samuel. Dressed in a white shroud and prophesying the death of Saul, his sons who cower on the ground and the ghastly apparitions appear from the spell being cast behind the witch. The engraver who was English worked in Paris after fleeing England over bad debts after losing everything trying to create gold from base metal. He worked for a miserly 30 sous a day in the workshop of Jacque-Phillipe Le Bas. Buried as a heretic (Protestant) in Paris. His engraved plates were brought back to England in 1753. The British Museum has a copy of this engraving given to them in 1799. Not on display. **HISTORY: Just before fighting his final disastrous battle on Mount Gilboa against the Philistines, King Saul, in disguise, asked the Witch of Endor to summon up the ghost of the prophet Samuel so that he could consult with him. In the ancient world, necromancy, or the summoning up of the ghosts of the dead, was frequently done by means of ?ghost pits? dug into the ground. As will be seen, when the Witch of Endor summoned up the ghost of Samuel, she was using a ghost pit. The use of ghost pits was a common pagan practice in the ancient world. N° de ref. del artículo A261

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