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Bible. N.T. John 1.35-38, "Again the next day after, John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.". The two disciples pictured are mentioned in John 1.37-38 as John the Baptist's followers, who desert him on seeing Christ. One is identified as Andrew, Peter's brother (1.40). Here, one of them reads a scroll of Hebrew scripture for predictions of Christ's arrival, and the other, disrobed for baptism in the nearby pool, rests his head in his hands. On the ground are a hat and crook. Behind Jesus a flock of sheep rests in front of a city. But next to them, on the left, is a tree felled by an axe (Matthew 3.7-10; Luke 3.7-9)

1 print : line engraving with etching ; platemark 50.8 x 40.6 cm

John the Baptist indicates Jesus as the Messiah to two of his disciples. Engraving by J. Outrim, 1847, after T. Uwins.

Bible. N.T. Matthew 4.2-4; Luke 4.2-4. The devil wears a peasant's tunic and a hat. A dark, bent tree slopes away from the couple

Satan, in the form of a small bearded man, tempts Christ to turn stone into bread. Mezzotint.

Bible. N.T. Matthew 13.31-2; Mark 13.28,29; Luke 21.29-32

Christ tells an apostle how a mustard seed grows into a tree. Etching.

1 print : engraving with etching ; platemark 33 x 21.1 cm

Arabic geomantic signs, wheel of life and death, the zodiac wheel and the Veronica. Engraving.

A serpent sits coiled at top of the trunk. A devil with a watering can waters the ground. A skeleton stands to chop the tree with its axe. An angel flies off to the right

1 print : lithograph, with watercolour ; image 31.3 x 22.4 cm

A withered tree bearing apples labelled with sins; representing the life of sin. Coloured lithograph, c. 1870, after J. Bakewell.

Bible. N.T. Matthew 2.12-15. A palm stretches out above the family. The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew tells of a palm bending down and yielding dates to the travellers. A stork flies above, with a snake in its beak

1 print : line engraving ; image 40 x 31.2 cm

The Virgin Mary, pregnant with James, and Joseph voyage back from Egypt with the child Jesus. Engraving by L. Vorsterman the elder, 1620, after P.P. Rubens.

An angel pours water from a watering can over the ground at the foot of the tree. Another angel fends off a black demon with a red loincloth, who attempts to cut down the tree with an axe

1 print : etching, with watercolour ; image 36.8 x 25 cm

A tree bearing fruit labelled with virtues; representing the life of the Christian. Coloured etching by J. Couse, c. 1780, after J. Bakewell.

The story of the palm tree bending down at the will of the infant Christ to furnish the holy family with dates is told in chapters 20-1 of the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew. According to Louis Réau in 'Iconographie de l'art chrétien' (Paris 1957, vol. 2, pp. 278-9), the scene was understood as a depiction of paradise regained
Mary breast feeds Christ while Joseph rests on his staff, looking up at the angel

1 print : etching ; platemark 21.3 x 15.5 cm

While the holy family rest on the way to Egypt, an angel bends a palm tree to provide them with dates. Etching.

Bible. N.T. Matthew 2.12-15. The angels on the right seem to be reading from a folded sheet of paper which appears to bear musical staves. Three angels are peering at it. An angel above them draws down the palm tree which furnished the holy family with dates. This latter episode is described in the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and was interpreted in the middle ages as a depiction of paradise regained. Weeds, however, are prominent at the bottom of the picture

The holy family resting under a palm tree during the flight into Egypt. Etching after C. Saraceni.

A serpent sits coiled at top of the trunk. A devil with a watering can waters the ground. A skeleton positions itself to chop the tree with its axe. An angel flies off to the right

1 print : etching ; platemark 35.2 x 24.8 cm

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John the Baptist indicates Jesus as the Messiah to two of his disciples. Engraving by J. Outrim, 1847, after T. Uwins.

Satan, in the form of a small bearded man, tempts Christ to turn stone into bread. Mezzotint.

Christ tells an apostle how a mustard seed grows into a tree. Etching.

Arabic geomantic signs, wheel of life and death, the zodiac wheel and the Veronica. Engraving.

A withered tree bearing apples labelled with sins; representing the life of sin. Coloured lithograph, c. 1870, after J. Bakewell.

The Virgin Mary, pregnant with James, and Joseph voyage back from Egypt with the child Jesus. Engraving by L. Vorsterman the elder, 1620, after P.P. Rubens.

A tree bearing fruit labelled with virtues; representing the life of the Christian. Coloured etching by J. Couse, c. 1780, after J. Bakewell.

While the holy family rest on the way to Egypt, an angel bends a palm tree to provide them with dates. Etching.

The holy family resting under a palm tree during the flight into Egypt. Etching after C. Saraceni.

A withered tree bearing apples labelled with sins; representing the life of the base, 'natural' man. Etching, 1771, after J. Bakewell.

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John the Baptist indicates Jesus as the Messiah to two of his disciples. Engraving by J. Outrim, 1847, after T. Uwins.

Satan, in the form of a small bearded man, tempts Christ to turn stone into bread. Mezzotint.

Christ tells an apostle how a mustard seed grows into a tree. Etching.

Arabic geomantic signs, wheel of life and death, the zodiac wheel and the Veronica. Engraving.

A withered tree bearing apples labelled with sins; representing the life of sin. Coloured lithograph, c. 1870, after J. Bakewell.

The Virgin Mary, pregnant with James, and Joseph voyage back from Egypt with the child Jesus. Engraving by L. Vorsterman the elder, 1620, after P.P. Rubens.

A tree bearing fruit labelled with virtues; representing the life of the Christian. Coloured etching by J. Couse, c. 1780, after J. Bakewell.

While the holy family rest on the way to Egypt, an angel bends a palm tree to provide them with dates. Etching.

The holy family resting under a palm tree during the flight into Egypt. Etching after C. Saraceni.

A withered tree bearing apples labelled with sins; representing the life of the base, 'natural' man. Etching, 1771, after J. Bakewell.

Stay in the know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

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Wellcome collection