Christ and His Disciples Harvesting on the Sabbath

Engraving, 1614 circa, lettered along bottom in the image: Davit Vinckboons Inv. and Johannes a Lon. schu./ CIVisscher excudit. After a subject by David Vinckboons

The scene appears to show Christ and His Disciples Harvesting on the Sabbath, according Matt. 12:1-8

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” 3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Magnificent proof, splendid contemporary hand-colouring, printed on contemporary laid paper, watermark "coat of arms with fleur-de-lis", with margins, usual trace of central vertical fold, in very good condition.

The excellent quality of the colouring significantly distinguishes and enhances these examples from those in black and white.