Saul and the Witch of Endor

Description

Fearing the outcome of a battle, Saul, king of the Israelites, consulted the fortune-telling witch of Endor. The prophecy came true: Saul lost the battle, but shortly before he was to be killed, he threw himself on his sword. His suicide – in the middle background – is a warning against witchcraft. In the foreground is a Witches’ Sabbath: the fortune-teller sits within a chalk circle, surrounded by other witches, satyrs, and imaginary figures.

Saul and the Witch of Endor

1526

Accession Number

N/A

Medium

N/A

Dimensions

frame: height 104.2 cm x width 138.9 cm x thickness 5 cm

Classification

Painting

Museum

Rijksmuseum

Amsterdam, Netherlands