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Border with Joab Stabbing Abner

Creator

Flemish Illuminator · 1483–1561

Artist

One of the most celebrated painters of Flanders in the 1500s, Simon Bening was hailed by Portuguese art critic Francisco da Hollanda as the greatest master of illumination in all of Europe. In addition to producing books for powerful aristocrats such as Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg, Bening worked for a group of international royal patrons including Emperor Charles V and Don Fernando, the Infan

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Date: about 1525–1530
Medium: Tempera colors, gold paint, and gold leaf
Culture: Flemish
Department: Manuscripts
Institution: Getty Museum

Having asked Abner, the commander of King Saul's army, to meet him in front of the gate to Hebron for a private conference, Joab, commander of King David's army, treacherously stabs him in the back. Although the Bible states that Joab stabbed Abner from the front, Simon Bening placed the two men almost in an embrace, with Joab reaching behind Abner to kill him, emphasizing his deceit. The composition thus directly echoes Judas's betraying kiss seen on the opposite page, linking the Old and New Testament stories.

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