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Drawing of crowd of figures being attacked by snakes in the woods

A crowd of people, mostly nude men, is positioned in front of a background of trees and hills. The figures stand, sit, or lie on the ground, but nearly all have pained expressions and open mouths. Some appear to have bite wounds. Two figures lying on the ground have contorted limbs and cover their faces with their arms. The figures are surrounded by many snakes, some of which bite them or wrap around their arms and legs. On the left, a man kneels next to a forked tree limb with a snake hanging from it.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
G9083
People
Michiel Coxcie, Netherlandish (Mechelen 1499 - 1592 Mechelen)
Title
The Brazen Serpent
Classification
Prints
Work Type
print
Date
16th century
Culture
Flemish
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/274000

Physical Descriptions

Technique
Etching and engraving
Dimensions
29.7 x 42.8 cm (11 11/16 x 16 7/8 in.)
Inscriptions and Marks
  • inscription: in plate, bottom, right: MIGHEL FLAMINGO INVENIVR [sic]

State, Edition, Standard Reference Number

Standard Reference Number
W., H. 1

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Gray Collection of Engravings Fund
Object Number
G9083
Division
European and American Art
Contact
am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu
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Publication History

  • William W. Robinson and Susan Anderson, Drawings from the Age of Bruegel, Rubens, and Rembrandt: Highlights from the Collection of the Harvard Art Museums, Harvard Art Museums (Cambridge, MA, 2016), p. 87, under cat. no. 20, repr. fig. 1 on p. 85

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of European and American Art at am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu