The People Stoning Adoram - Hans Collaert the Elder

A detailed hand-coloured engraving by Hans Collaert the Elder depicting the biblical stoning of Adoram, showcasing sixteenth-century Flemish printmaking.

This hand-coloured engraving by Hans Collaert the Elder depicts the biblical account of the stoning of Adoram, the official in charge of forced labour under King Rehoboam. The scene captures the chaotic moment of execution, with figures positioned in dynamic, muscular poses that reflect the influence of Italian Mannerism on Northern European printmaking during the sixteenth century. The composition is divided between the foreground, where the violence occurs, and a distant background featuring a carriage and architectural elements, providing a sense of spatial depth.

Collaert, a member of a prominent family of engravers based in Antwerp, demonstrates technical precision in the rendering of the human form and the textures of the clothing. The application of colour, likely added after the initial printing, enhances the narrative clarity of the scene. The Latin and French inscriptions at the base identify the subject matter, referencing the Third Book of Kings (1 Kings 12:18), which details the revolt of the ten tribes of Israel against the house of David. The inclusion of these texts suggests the work was intended for a scholarly or devotional publication, common for the period.

The print serves as a record of the artistic conventions of the late sixteenth century, where narrative clarity was balanced with the stylistic demands of the era. The figures are rendered with a focus on anatomical accuracy, albeit in a stylised manner that prioritises the dramatic tension of the event. The contrast between the central figures in motion and the fallen Adoram creates a clear hierarchy of action. This piece offers a view into the intersection of religious history and print culture in the Low Countries, where the production of such works was a major industry for collectors and institutions alike.