Saul and the Witch of Endor
1788
Medium
Etching on paper
Dimensions
42.9 × 59.1 cm (16 15/16 × 23 5/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
56559
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
William Sharp’s 1788 etching “Saul and the Witch of Endor” depicts the tense biblical encounter from 1 Samuel 28, in which the troubled Israelite king secretly consults a medium to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel. Working in the late eighteenth century, Sharp translated this dramatic narrative into a large-format print measuring roughly 43 by 59 centimeters, a scale that allowed viewers to appreciate the intricate play of light and shadow across the figures. As an etching on paper, the work benefited from the medium’s capacity for fine, expressive lines and tonal gradations. Such prin...
About the Artist
William Sharp · 1749–1824
British, London 1749–1824 London