Samuel Anoints Saul

In the first book of Samuel, Samuel, "man of God," "judge," and "seer," anoints Saul in the Lord's name: "Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, 'Hath not the Lord anointed thee to be governor over his inheritance?'" (10:1, Geneva version). The Geneva editors add: "In the Law this anointing signified the gifts of the holy Ghost, which were necessary for them that should rule." The illustration is one of a series of 88 woodcuts by Hans Holbien the Younger for two separate publications. the first was an octavo "picture Bible" bearing the title Historiarum Veteris Instrumenti Icones ad vivum expressae. The second was a folio Vulgate Bible, Biblia utriusque Testamenti iuxta Vulgatam translationem. Both were printed in 1538. The anointing of Saul was a popular subject for illustrators of the Old Testament. Here is one from a particularly fine Italian Bible containing a large number of images based on Holbein's Icones and designed by the Venice Bible Master, an unidentified artist probably from the circle of Titian. This cycle appeared in a 1588 Bible, Sacra Biblia... published in Venice.