Painted in the 17th century, of an impressive size, the subject of this painting comes from the book of Judges, chapter 11, verses 30-40. The book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew Bible, also a part of the Christian Old Testament.
The moment when Jephthah returned home at Mizpah is depicted by the artist. Jephthah is painted in the centre of the painting, being the central focus of it, simultaneously splitting the artwork into two sides representing the two parts of this biblical story.
On the left, the protagonist’s daughter is shown playing the harp dancing towards her father with a group of females, too playing various musical instruments. In front is her father, riding a horse, during the act of ripping his clothes wide open. This scene carries deep symbolic meaning in the biblical story.
Behind him, on the right side of the painting, an army of soldiers, riding on horses represents Jepthah’s battle in the Ammonites, one which ended in the victory of the protagonist’s army.
A castle, foliage, woodlands, and mountains act as a backdrop for this fascinating story depicted by the painter.
The artist employed a vibrant colour palette, the red detailing being particularly bright. Intricate details such as the anatomy of the horses or foliage are painted with great skill.
Framed in a beautiful giltwood frame, the focus on a well-known biblical scene makes this an important and unusual piece. Â
Frame: Height 93.5cm, width 219cm, depth 5cm
Canvas: Height 66cm, width 195cm, depth 2cm