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"And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived."--Old testament, Numbers 21: 5-9

The Israelites afflicted by a plague of serpents; two men worshipping the brazen serpent erected by Moses. Engraving by M. Coxcie, 15--.

Saint Paul shipwrecked on Malta. Etching by F. Bartolozzi, 1791, after B. West.

1 print : photogravure, with decorative guard tissue ; platemark 41.7 x 30.9 cm

The serpent entwines itself around the body of Eve; it whispers in her ear, enticing her to eat the forbidden fruit. Photogravure by Lemercier and co. after Walter Crane, 1899.

Moses points to the brazen serpent while his people writhe on the ground, besieged by fiery serpents. Etching by G. Cooke, 1816, after C. le Brun.

Bible. O.T. Genesis 3.24. The angel is not mentioned in the King James version of Genesis 3.24; only the sword

1 print : engraving ; platemark 33 x 20.5 cm

Adam and Eve expelled from Eden by an angel. Engraving by P.P. Bouche after G. Freman.

The light divides its rays into light and dark. The animal world resonates with the transgression (in all the previous prints in this series it had been mute, expectant and observant): in the bottom-right hand corner a dog howls and a lion roars. The vulture screeches in the direction of the accursed couple. The shame at nakedness is rather undermined by the fact that it is only in the previous print that the couple have appeared naked; throughout the rest of Ridinger's series they are modestly attired in swathes of undergrowth

1 print : etching, with line engraving ; platemark 39.5 x 54.6 cm

Adam and Eve cover their nakedness as God makes his wrath felt in the Garden of Eden. Etching by J.E. Ridinger after himself, c. 1750.

Some of the surrounding figures have snakes entwined around their limbs

Moses presents his brazen serpent to the people. Woodcut after Robert Anning Bell, c. 1890.

Eve picks the apple from the tree as the serpent emerges. Etching by J.E. Ridinger after himself, c. 1750.

Old Testament, Numbers 21: 5-9: "And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived."

1 print : line engraving ; image 45.8 x 61.2 cm

Moses and Eleazar show the brazen serpent before the writhing multitude afflicted with snake-bites. Engraving by S. à Bolswert after P.P. Rubens, ca. 1635-40.

Historiae sacrae veteris et novi testamenti.

1 print : line engraving ; platemark 40.6 x 50.6 cm

Moses and Eleazar show the brazen serpent before the writhing multitude afflicted with snake-bites. Engraving after S. à Bolswert after Sir P.P. Rubens, ca. 1635-40.

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The Israelites afflicted by a plague of serpents; two men worshipping the brazen serpent erected by Moses. Engraving by M. Coxcie, 15--.

Saint Paul shipwrecked on Malta. Etching by F. Bartolozzi, 1791, after B. West.

The serpent entwines itself around the body of Eve; it whispers in her ear, enticing her to eat the forbidden fruit. Photogravure by Lemercier and co. after Walter Crane, 1899.

Moses points to the brazen serpent while his people writhe on the ground, besieged by fiery serpents. Etching by G. Cooke, 1816, after C. le Brun.

Adam and Eve expelled from Eden by an angel. Engraving by P.P. Bouche after G. Freman.

Adam and Eve cover their nakedness as God makes his wrath felt in the Garden of Eden. Etching by J.E. Ridinger after himself, c. 1750.

Moses presents his brazen serpent to the people. Woodcut after Robert Anning Bell, c. 1890.

Eve picks the apple from the tree as the serpent emerges. Etching by J.E. Ridinger after himself, c. 1750.

Moses and Eleazar show the brazen serpent before the writhing multitude afflicted with snake-bites. Engraving by S. à Bolswert after P.P. Rubens, ca. 1635-40.

Moses and Eleazar show the brazen serpent before the writhing multitude afflicted with snake-bites. Engraving after S. à Bolswert after Sir P.P. Rubens, ca. 1635-40.

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The Israelites afflicted by a plague of serpents; two men worshipping the brazen serpent erected by Moses. Engraving by M. Coxcie, 15--.

Saint Paul shipwrecked on Malta. Etching by F. Bartolozzi, 1791, after B. West.

The serpent entwines itself around the body of Eve; it whispers in her ear, enticing her to eat the forbidden fruit. Photogravure by Lemercier and co. after Walter Crane, 1899.

Moses points to the brazen serpent while his people writhe on the ground, besieged by fiery serpents. Etching by G. Cooke, 1816, after C. le Brun.

Adam and Eve expelled from Eden by an angel. Engraving by P.P. Bouche after G. Freman.

Adam and Eve cover their nakedness as God makes his wrath felt in the Garden of Eden. Etching by J.E. Ridinger after himself, c. 1750.

Moses presents his brazen serpent to the people. Woodcut after Robert Anning Bell, c. 1890.

Eve picks the apple from the tree as the serpent emerges. Etching by J.E. Ridinger after himself, c. 1750.

Moses and Eleazar show the brazen serpent before the writhing multitude afflicted with snake-bites. Engraving by S. à Bolswert after P.P. Rubens, ca. 1635-40.

Moses and Eleazar show the brazen serpent before the writhing multitude afflicted with snake-bites. Engraving after S. à Bolswert after Sir P.P. Rubens, ca. 1635-40.

Stay in the know

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