Saul te midden van de profeten 1728

This engraving, titled "Saul in the Midst of the Prophets," was made by Gilliam van der Gouwen, probably in the Netherlands, around the turn of the 18th century. It illustrates a scene from the Hebrew Bible. The image invites us to think about the social role of religious experience. Van der Gouwen depicts King Saul, identified by his rod of office, in a state of ecstatic prophecy, surrounded by musicians. In its time, this image would have resonated with contemporary debates about religious authority. The Dutch Republic was a place of relative religious tolerance, but also of intense theological debate, conducted in pamphlets, sermons, and images such as this. The image may be a comment on the nature of religious leadership, contrasting the king with the popular enthusiasm of prophets and musicians. As art historians, we look to the social context of images such as this, exploring the world of Dutch religious politics in the 18th century through sources such as theological debates and popular prints.