Biblical Art
The Brazen Serpent
The Brazen Serpent
ART.000389
Art
1908
London, (England)
N/A
Watercolor and Gouache on Paper
Unframed, 18.5 × 12.2 in. (47 × 31 cm)
Not on View
This painting by Harold Copping (1863–1932) depicts a scene from Numbers 21 in which God commands Moses to erect a bronze snake on a pole so that the Israelites dying of bites from “fiery” or “poisonous” snakes could look upon it and be healed. It was commissioned by the Religious Tract Society for use in a variety of publications, including The Gospel in the Old Testament from 1908 and Pictures That Teach: The Crown Series from 1920. Copping was a member of London’s Royal Academy and a prolific illustrator whose work appeared in numerous religious publications as well as magazines such as The Ladies Home Journal.
Created in 1908 for the Religious Tract Society, London, England.[1] Acquired in 2005 by J. P. Dorsey of Dust and Ashes Publications, Byron Center, Michigan; [2] Purchased privately in 2009 by Gene Albert (Christian Heritage Museum), Hagerstown, Maryland; [3] Purchased privately in 2010 by Green Collection, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Donated in 2017 to National Christian Foundation (later The Signatry), under the curatorial care of Museum of the Bible, Washington, DC.
Notes: [1] Copping was under contract by the Religious Tract Society to produce 12 paintings per year for use in their publications. The back of the painting includes a note in pencil that reads, “No. 28.” This number is listed with the painting in copyright renewals from 1925 and 1952, but it was given the number 12 in the series, Pictures That Teach, a series of color prints that could be purchased in sets for instructional use at home or at church. [2] Dorsey mentioned a purchase in Israel in 2005, but did not have specific information. [3] The two Copping paintings in the museum collection were purchased by Gene Albert from Dorsey at the same time, likely 2009. No additional information provided.
Published References:
Catalog of Copyright Entries, part 4, vol. 20 (Library of Congress, 1925), 258.
Pictures That Teach: The New Large Series (Religious Tract Society, 1908), no. 12.
Harold Copping and Handley Moule. The Gospel in the Old Testament: A Series of Pictures (London: Religious Tract Society, 1908).
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