Josephus wordt gekwetst te Jerusalem

About this artwork

In een gevecht om Jeruzalem tijdens de Joodse Opstand, tussen de Romeinen en de Joden, krijgt Josephus een steen op zijn hoofd. Rechts komt een Romeinse soldaat op hem toegesneld. Op de achtergrond zijn gevechten te zien en schieten figuren pijlen vanaf de stadsmuren. Deze prent is een illustratie bij het vijfendertigste hoofdstuk van het vijfde boek van 'Alle de werken van Flavius Josephus'.

Art Historical Context

In the dramatic engraving *Josephus wordt gekwet te Jerusalem* (Josephus Wounded in Jerusalem created by Dutch artist Theodoor Koning in 1785, we witness a pivotal moment from First Jewish-Roman War (66–73 AD). The scene captures the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, a commander during the siege of Jerusalem, struck on the head by a stone amid fierce combat. A Roman soldier rushes to his aid from the right, while chaotic battles rage in the background, with archers firing arrows from the walls—a vivid snapshot of the desperation and violence described in Josephus's own account. This print illustrates chapter 35 of Book 5 from the Dutch edition *Alle de werken van Flavius Josephus*, a popular 18th-century compilation of the ancient historian's writings. Josephus, who later defected to the Romans and chronicled the war in *The Jewish War*, provides eyewitness details that made his works enduring sources for understanding Jewish resistance and Roman conquest. Koning's engraving brings this history to life for European readers, blending historical narrative with visual storytelling. Measuring 236 × 152 mm, the work exemplifies 18th-century engraving techniques, where intricate lines carved into a metal plate allowed for detailed, reproducible images. Such book illustrations democratized classical history, sparking fascination with biblical-era conflicts and bridging antiquity with Enlightenment audiences eager for moral and dramatic tales. A testament to art's power to preserve memory!