The Death of Absalom

The story behind the image

Absalom’s rebellion against his father, King David, reaches a tragic end in Second Samuel 18. Riding a mule through the forest, he becomes caught by the head in an oak as the animal moves on. David has ordered his commanders to treat his son gently, but Joab strikes him, and Joab’s attendants kill him. The scene gathers mounted figures and weapons beneath the spreading tree, concentrating the conflict in one vulnerable body. Victory does not erase the family loss: later in the chapter, David mourns his son. The image holds together rebellion, military power and grief.

Take a closer look

Two details to notice

• Mounted figures and long weapons converge beneath a large tree.
• Dense branches above and the gathered figures below enclose the central action.

About this original

Source

Original 1880 Bible

Collection

Bible illustrations

Photograph

Framed front view

Visible condition

The photograph shows the framed front. The mat covers the leaf edges; reflections on the glazing limit the view of the paper. Ask for dimensions, back photographs and condition details.

Piece reference

ART0016

These original pages were salvaged from a damaged book. The age and individual marks of each physical leaf are part of what makes it unique.

Read the source

• 2 Samuel 18:9–17, 33 · King James Version ↗

The illustration is an artistic interpretation. The linked source gives context for this short introduction.