Moses Charges Joshua and the Death of Moses, Mortier Bible circa 1700

This original copper engraving from Pieter Mortier's illustrated Bible, published in Amsterdam circa 1700, shows two Old Testament scenes on one sheet. The subjects are Deuteronomy 31, Moses confirms Joshua as his successor, and Deuteronomy 34, the death of Moses. It is plate 60 of the series, a fine example of Dutch Baroque biblical engraving with the upper and lower compositions each set in its own engraved frame.

The upper scene illustrates Deuteronomy chapter 31, verses 7 and 8, captioned Mose bevestight Josua, Moses confirms Joshua, in which Moses calls Joshua before all Israel and charges him to be strong and of good courage, for he will lead the people into the Promised Land.

The lower scene takes Deuteronomy chapter 34, verse 5, the death of Moses in the land of Moab after he has seen the Promised Land from the top of Mount Nebo. The engraver shows the body of the lawgiver attended by angels, following the tradition that the Lord himself buried him.

Pieter Mortier's Bible, issued in Amsterdam circa 1700, is one of the finest illustrated Bibles of the Baroque period. Its plates, with more than four hundred scenes, follow the sacred narrative from Genesis onwards, two scenes to a sheet, each captioned in Dutch and French beneath the chapter and verse. The plate is signed G. Hoet inv. for the designer Gerard Hoet and A. de Blois sculp. for the engraver Abraham de Blois, with the imprint P. Mortier edit. cum Privil. Leading Dutch artists such as Gerard Hoet, Arnold Houbraken and Bernard Picart supplied designs, and the plates were worked with a dense, velvety burin that gives the scenes their dramatic light and depth, the qualities that make Mortier sheets so sought after today.

The engraving is printed on laid paper with full margins and a blank verso, and is uncolored, as issued. It rewards close viewing and is well suited to a study, library or quiet corner, either alone or hung as part of a series of Mortier Bible engravings, which together give a vivid sense of how the Dutch Baroque imagined the biblical world.

The sheet is in good condition for its age, with light toning, some soiling and a frayed right edge with small losses near the lower corner; the image itself is unaffected.