JOAB TAKES AMASA BY THE BEARD

Original 1777 10 1/4 inch x 8 inch Etching and engraving titled JOAB TAKES AMASA BY THE BEARD UNDER PRETENCE OF SALUTING HIM, BUT INSTANTLY RAN HIM THROUGH THE BODY, SO THAT HE DIED UPON THE SPOT

Joab killing Amasa; the two commanders of David’s army standing in foreground, Joab touching Asama’s beard while planting a dagger in his chest, troops beyond; within laurel frame.

Etched by William Walker (1729 – 1793).

After Jan Luyken (1649 – 1712). Luyken was born in Amsterdam and learned engraving from his father Kaspar Luyken.

He illustrated the 1685 edition of the Martyrs Mirror with 104 copper etchings and published Het Menselyk Bedryf (“The Book of Trades”) in 1694, which contains numerous engravings, by Luyken and his son Caspar, of 17th century trades.

From “The Works of Flavius Josephus. I. The Life of Josephus as written by Himself; II. The Antiquities of the Jewish People, with a defence of those Antiquities, in Answer to Apion; III. The History of the Martyrdom of the Maccabees, and the Wars of the Jews with the Neighbouring Nations till the final Destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman Power; IV. Account of Philo’s Ambassy from the Jews of Alexandria, to the Emperor Caius Caligula (1777). Published by Fielding and Walker, London, 1777.

Josephus, Flavius (37 – c. 100), was a first-century Romano-Jewish scholar, historian and hagiographer, who was born in Jerusalem (then part of Roman Judea) to a father of priestly descent and a mother who claimed royal ancestry.

Image size 5 3/8 inch x 3 3/4 inch

The etching is in very good condition with slight age related toning. Reverse side blank.