The Death of Saul, 17th century, Oil on canvas, 105 x 159.5 cm, Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Merthyr Tydfil; Purchased, 1910, CCM.85.992, Courtesy of Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Merthyr Tydfil
When is the moment you decide you have had enough? If Pieter Bruegel I’s treatment of this scene (elsewhere in this exhibition) presents a panorama, Mattia Preti’s painting is a tight focus. Bodies crowd the canvas, especially the bare torso of Saul, stretched out in a way that is reminiscent of Rembrandt’s Flayed Ox (1655) or Titian’s Flaying of Marsyas (c.1570s). Almost dead centre is the wound in Saul’s side, presumably the result of a Philistine archer’s arrow (1 Samuel 31:3; 1 Chronicles 10:3).
The armour-bearer crouches over Saul, inspecting the wound. Saul appears to look at his assistant, suggesting this is the moment when he asks to be killed. It is an intimate scene, a mutual recognition that the end is near. The emotional impact is intensified by the addition of figures who are not mentioned in the text, adding faces of different generations who register the tragic event in ways that invite multiple interpretations—compassion, shock, disbelief. The biblical text reports the suicide briefly, as if decided and executed in minutes. Here, it is stretched out and we feel a process underway. We sense time being taken to examine, consider, and discuss all options. We sense the remembrance of things past (the battles shared, Saul’s complex record as king). And we sense forebodings of the future—would this be the end of the Israelite kingdom that had just begun?
This focus on the wounded Saul brackets out the other action described in this biblical episode. We are not shown Saul falling on his sword, as in the other works in this exhibition. Rather, our imaginations must fill in the details of his death, and more besides. We may picture Saul’s dead sons; how the Philistines will overrun the Israelite armies; and how ultimately the admiration of those who served under Saul will drive them to reclaim his body—ending this tragic story with a note of hope that perhaps all is not lost.
31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboʹa. 2And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinʹadab and Malʹchishuʹa, the sons of Saul. 3The battle pressed hard upon Saul, and the archers found him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and make sport of me.” But his armor-bearer would not; for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword, and fell upon it. 5And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword, and died with him. 6Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 7And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 On the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboʹa. 9And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. 10They put his armor in the temple of Ashʹtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11But when the inhabitants of Jaʹbesh-gilʹead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh and burnt them there. 13And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
1 Chronicles 10
10 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboʹa. 2And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinʹadab and Malʹchishuʹa, the sons of Saul. 3The battle pressed hard upon Saul, and the archers found him; and he was wounded by the archers. 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and make sport of me.” But his armor-bearer would not; for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword, and fell upon it. 5And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword, and died. 6Thus Saul died; he and his three sons and all his house died together. 7And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 On the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboʹa. 9And they stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. 10And they put his armor in the temple of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. 11But when all Jaʹbesh-gilʹead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all the valiant men arose, and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he was unfaithful to the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance, 14and did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord slew him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
Mattia Preti [circle of]
The Death of Saul, 17th century, Oil on canvas, 105 x 159.5 cm, Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Merthyr Tydfil; Purchased, 1910, CCM.85.992, Courtesy of Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Merthyr Tydfil
This is the End
When is the moment you decide you have had enough? If Pieter Bruegel I’s treatment of this scene (elsewhere in this exhibition) presents a panorama, Mattia Preti’s painting is a tight focus. Bodies crowd the canvas, especially the bare torso of Saul, stretched out in a way that is reminiscent of Rembrandt’s Flayed Ox (1655) or Titian’s Flaying of Marsyas (c.1570s). Almost dead centre is the wound in Saul’s side, presumably the result of a Philistine archer’s arrow (1 Samuel 31:3; 1 Chronicles 10:3).
The armour-bearer crouches over Saul, inspecting the wound. Saul appears to look at his assistant, suggesting this is the moment when he asks to be killed. It is an intimate scene, a mutual recognition that the end is near. The emotional impact is intensified by the addition of figures who are not mentioned in the text, adding faces of different generations who register the tragic event in ways that invite multiple interpretations—compassion, shock, disbelief. The biblical text reports the suicide briefly, as if decided and executed in minutes. Here, it is stretched out and we feel a process underway. We sense time being taken to examine, consider, and discuss all options. We sense the remembrance of things past (the battles shared, Saul’s complex record as king). And we sense forebodings of the future—would this be the end of the Israelite kingdom that had just begun?
This focus on the wounded Saul brackets out the other action described in this biblical episode. We are not shown Saul falling on his sword, as in the other works in this exhibition. Rather, our imaginations must fill in the details of his death, and more besides. We may picture Saul’s dead sons; how the Philistines will overrun the Israelite armies; and how ultimately the admiration of those who served under Saul will drive them to reclaim his body—ending this tragic story with a note of hope that perhaps all is not lost.
1 Samuel 31; 1 Chronicles 10
Revised Standard Version
1 Samuel 31
31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboʹa. 2And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinʹadab and Malʹchishuʹa, the sons of Saul. 3The battle pressed hard upon Saul, and the archers found him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and make sport of me.” But his armor-bearer would not; for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword, and fell upon it. 5And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword, and died with him. 6Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 7And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 On the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboʹa. 9And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. 10They put his armor in the temple of Ashʹtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11But when the inhabitants of Jaʹbesh-gilʹead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh and burnt them there. 13And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
1 Chronicles 10
10 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboʹa. 2And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinʹadab and Malʹchishuʹa, the sons of Saul. 3The battle pressed hard upon Saul, and the archers found him; and he was wounded by the archers. 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and make sport of me.” But his armor-bearer would not; for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword, and fell upon it. 5And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword, and died. 6Thus Saul died; he and his three sons and all his house died together. 7And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 On the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboʹa. 9And they stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. 10And they put his armor in the temple of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. 11But when all Jaʹbesh-gilʹead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all the valiant men arose, and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he was unfaithful to the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance, 14and did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord slew him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
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