Study for Serpents Sent to Destroy the Sinners, Plate 360, Physica Sacra

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

This preparatory study by Swiss artist Johann Melchior Füssli depicts a dramatic biblical scene of serpents sent to destroy sinners, created before 1731 as Plate 360 for the illustrated volume Physica Sacra. Füssli, known for his detailed figure work, focused here on the expressive human forms and dynamic composition that would later appear in the published engraving, reflecting the era’s blend of religious storytelling and emerging natural history illustration. Acquired by the Smithsonian American Art Museum through the Mary Hearn Greims Fund, the drawing highlights the careful planning behind large-scale print projects of the early 18th century. Though research on this piece continues, its title and the artist’s Swiss origins invite viewers to consider how such studies bridged art, science, and faith during a time of expanding exploration and biblical scholarship.