Saul and the Witch of Endor

William Sidney Mount, Saul and the Witch of Endor, 1828, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of International Business Machines Corporation, 1966.48.1
William Sidney Mount, Saul and the Witch of Endor, 1828, oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in. (91.3 x 122.0 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of International Business Machines Corporation, 1966.48.1
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Artwork Details

Title
Saul and the Witch of Endor
Artist
Date
1828
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
36 x 48 in. (91.3 x 122.0 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of International Business Machines Corporation
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Religion — Old Testament — Witch of Endor
  • Religion — Old Testament — Saul
  • State of being — emotion — fear
  • State of being — phenomenon — vision
  • Landscape — time — night
  • Figure group — male
Object Number
1966.48.1
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1966.48.1

Artwork Description

William Sidney Mount created only a few paintings based on historical and literary scenes. This piece illustrates a passage from the Old Testament, in which Saul sought help from an oracle before going to war with the Philistines. The witch summoned the spirit of the prophet Samuel so that Saul could ask him for advice. In this painting, Saul and his men cower in horror as the ghost comes forward to speak to them (1 Samuel 28). This episode was familiar to nineteenth-century audiences who had been raised on scripture.

Works by this artist (3 items)

Bradley Miller, Non-Enclosure Compression Form, 1980, porcelain, nylon cord, and velvet pillow, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Annabell Miller, 1981.91.1
Non-Enclosure Compression Form
Artist
Date1980
porcelain, nylon cord, and velvet pillow
Not on view
Bradley Miller, Enclosure Compression Form, 1980, porcelain, nylon cord, and velvet pillow, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Annabell Miller, 1981.91.2
Enclosure Compression Form
Artist
Date1980
porcelain, nylon cord, and velvet pillow
Not on view
Bradley Miller, History Series #3, 1986, glazed clay, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John and Earlene Taylor, 1997.125.8
History Series #3
Artist
Date1986
glazed clay
Not on view

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