Pieter Mortier, Dedication of Solomon's Temple and the Ark of the Covenant, 1700, Engraving

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This original copperplate engraving from Pieter Mortier's illustrated Bible, Amsterdam circa 1700, shows two biblical scenes on one sheet: 1 … Read more This original copperplate engraving from Pieter Mortier's illustrated Bible, Amsterdam circa 1700, shows two biblical scenes on one sheet: 1 Kings 8:1, the dedication of Solomon's Temple, and 1 Kings 8:6, the Ark of the Covenant placed in the Holy of Holies. The upper scene illustrates 1 Kings chapter 8, the dedication of the Temple of Solomon, when the priests brought up the Ark and the king offered sacrifices before the assembled people of Israel. Fire and smoke rise from the great altar before the Temple, while a vast crowd of priests and people fills the courtyard between long palace wings. The lower scene shows 1 Kings chapter 8, verse 6, the Ark of the Covenant set in its place in the Holy of Holies beneath the wings of the two great cherubim. The golden Ark with its own small cherubim stands at the centre of a panelled chamber carved with palm trees, flanked by the two tall winged figures. Each scene carries its own engraved caption with the scripture reference in Dutch and French, and the sheet is numbered 96 in the lower margin. The engraving comes from the Bible published by Pieter Mortier in Amsterdam circa 1700, a work in which Dutch Baroque book illustration reached a grand scale. Designs by artists such as Gerard Hoet, Arnold Houbraken and Bernard Picart were cut in copper by a team of Amsterdam engravers, and the paired scenes were printed on large sheets of laid paper. This sheet is signed in the lower margin by Ottmar Elliger as designer, with the engraving signed by J. Baptist. The upper scene also carries the signature of Jan Luyken as engraver. The sheet is printed on laid paper with full margins, and the reverse is blank. Framed with a wide mount, the sheet makes a strong statement in a study, a parish office or a library, and it hangs well alongside other Dutch biblical engravings of the period. It is also an accessible entry point for collectors interested in the Books of Kings. The sheet is in good condition for its age, with light toning, a short tear and nicks at the right edge and a creased lower left corner, all confined to the margins; the image itself is clean. This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed. See less