Jael

Maarten van Heemskerck Netherlandish

Not on view

Jael, who killed Sisera, commander of the Canaanite forces, by driving a stake through his temple (Judges 4:17-21), is one of the Eight Exemplary Women from the Old and New Testament who are represented in a series of engravings (printed around 1560) after designs by van Heemskerck, of which this drawing is one. The engravings attained instant renown, for by 1568 they were mentioned in the second edition of Vasari’s Vite. Marten van Heemskerck was one of the first Netherlandish artists to make designs expressly for reproduction by professional printmakers. The almost seven hundred engravings and etchings after his designs had a lasting impact on subsequent generations of Dutch painters.

Jael, Maarten van Heemskerck (Netherlandish, Heemskerck 1498–1574 Haarlem), Pen and black ink over black chalk; traced for transfer; remains of original borderline at the top and bottom left

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Jael, Maarten van Heemskerck (Netherlandish, Heemskerck 1498–1574 Haarlem), Pen and black ink over black chalk; traced for transfer; remains of original borderline at the top and bottom left
Jael, Maarten van Heemskerck (Netherlandish, Heemskerck 1498–1574 Haarlem), Pen and black ink over black chalk; traced for transfer; remains of original borderline at the top and bottom left

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