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Saul and the Witch of Endor
Public domain

Saul and the Witch of Endor

Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen · 1526 · panel; oil paint (paint)

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

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.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Subjects
paintingSaul's deathSaul with the witch of Endor
Credit lineSaul and the Witch of Endor. 1526. Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
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