Head-piece to genesis. Emblems of the law (loutherbourg’s own title; no bible reference is given). A still life is depicted, with the stone tablets of the decalogue leaning against an urn and ewer amongst rolled scrolls, with an ephod (or high priest’s breast-plate, with twelve stones for each of the tribes of israel), a censer, a trumpet, a staff, a sword (for the punishment of transgressors) and a palm leaf upon a fringed cloth thrown over a lectern. These are items of the ritual law associated with jewish worship and festivals. Letterpress in two columns below and on verso. C. 1790-1800. Inscriptions: print lettered below image with production detail: "p j de loutherbourg invt. ", "jas. Fittler sculp" print made by james fittler. Dimensions: height: 482 mms (sheet); width: 388 millimetres (sheet). Clearly, the detailed drawing was meant to serve as a head-piece to the first five books of the bible – known to the jews as the books of the law (the torah) received directly from god and written down by moses. Date: 1 January 1790.
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