Saul’s Legs 1899

Jozef Israëls rendered "Saul's Legs" with oil on canvas, capturing a poignant moment steeped in biblical narrative and personal reflection. Israëls, deeply connected to his Jewish identity and aware of the social realities of the working class, often infused his art with empathy and a sense of shared humanity. Here we are presented with a fragment, the lower limbs of King Saul, his body in repose and defeat. While the complete narrative would traditionally focus on Saul's kingship, power, and eventual fall, Israëls zeroes in on this single detail, Saul's legs. This intimate perspective evokes a feeling of vulnerability and invites contemplation on the burden of leadership, and the cost of power. Israëls transforms a story of national and religious significance into a meditation on individual suffering. This choice emphasizes the universality of human experience, reminding us that behind every figure of authority lies a person with vulnerabilities.