Jojakim verbrandt een boekrol

About this artwork

schets in zwart krijt, pen in bruin, penseel in bruin

Art Historical Context

This delicate pen drawing by Dutch artist Jan Luyken captures the dramatic biblical moment when King Jehoiakim burns the prophetic scroll, as recounted in the Book of Jeremiah. Created between 1710 and 1712, near the end of Luyken’s life, the small work (just 107 by 141 mm) reflects his lifelong focus on religious and moral subjects. Luyken, a prominent illustrator and engraver of the late Dutch Golden Age, frequently produced such images to accompany devotional texts, making scripture vivid for Protestant audiences. The technique combines a preliminary sketch in black chalk with brown ink applied by pen and brush, allowing for fluid lines and subtle tonal modeling. This layered approach was typical for preparatory studies intended for printmaking, where clarity and expressive detail mattered most. The compact format suggests the piece may have served as a design for an engraving in one of the many illustrated Bibles or emblem books popular in early eighteenth-century Netherlands. Luyken’s work bridges devotional art and everyday visual culture, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of divine word and human defiance through intimate, accessible imagery.

About the Artist

Jan Luyken · 1649–1712

Dutch, Amsterdam 1649–1712 Amsterdam