Beeld uit de droom van Nebukadnezar II - Salomon Italia

A seventeenth-century etching by Salomon Italia depicting the prophetic figure from the dream of Nebuchadnezzar II, labelled with historical empires.

This etching by Salomon Italia depicts the prophetic vision of King Nebuchadnezzar II, as described in the Book of Daniel. The artist, a Jewish engraver active in Amsterdam during the seventeenth century, presents the colossal figure that represents the succession of world empires. The composition is structured around the central figure, whose body parts are labelled with the names of historical powers: Babel, Persi, Medi, Greci, Romani, and Mahometani. This visual shorthand reflects the theological and historical interpretations of the era, where the dream was read as a chronological map of human governance.

The figure stands above a pedestal, with a stone fragment falling away, alluding to the stone cut without hands that destroys the image. To the right, a portion of a globe is visible, accompanied by the Latin inscription 'implevit omnem terram', referencing the stone that filled the whole earth. Italia employs a precise, linear etching technique, using cross-hatching to define the musculature of the figure and the texture of the surrounding environment. The background is composed of horizontal lines, which create a sense of atmospheric depth while keeping the focus on the allegorical subject.

Salomon Italia is known for his work on Jewish ceremonial objects and book illustrations, often blending traditional iconography with the stylistic conventions of the Dutch Golden Age. This print demonstrates his ability to translate complex theological narratives into clear, graphic forms. The work is a fine example of seventeenth-century printmaking, where the marriage of text and image served to educate and illustrate religious texts for a contemporary audience. The clarity of the lines and the deliberate placement of the labels ensure the viewer understands the symbolic nature of the figure, moving beyond simple representation into the realm of historical and religious commentary.