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Original fileDavid vlucht voor Absalom
About This Work
King David stands at the center in royal robes and a crown, looking back in distress as he and his followers depart the city. To the right, a group of priests carry the Ark of the Covenant on long poles, while the left side is filled with soldiers armed with spears. In the distance, the city of Jerusalem is depicted with detailed towers and bridges over a river.
As a primary engraver for the court of Rudolf II in Prague, Sadeler operated within a circle deeply invested in the symbolic and esoteric meanings of biblical history. The Ark of the Covenant shown here was a focal point of meditation in Christian Kabbalah and Hermeticism, representing the localized presence of the Divine and the 'Sacred Center' of the world.
Inscriptions(Latin)
Absolon ut populum patrijs conuertit ab aulis, Et Pater, et populus corripuere fugam, Ergo Sacerdotes transuectant foederis arcam, Quam Rex confidens numine restituit. 2. Sam 15. Domine exaudi orationem meam, et clamor meus ad te veniat: Non auertas faciem tuam à me, in quacunq die tribulor. Psalm. 101. Martin de Vos figuravit Ioann S auct et excudit
Translation
When Absalom turned the people away from their ancestral halls, Both the Father and the people took to flight, Therefore the priests carry across the ark of the covenant, Which the King, trusting in the divine will, restores. 2 Sam. 15. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto thee: hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble. Psalm 101. Martin de Vos designed it Johannes Sadeler authored and published it
Connected Texts
Rudolf II
Sadeler was the principal imperial engraver for Rudolf II, whose court was the primary center for late Renaissance esotericism and natural philosophy.
Collections
Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
height 221 mm x width 259 mm
religious
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.