Sarah Bernhardt, The Modern Rizpah, Protecting Her Son from the Clerical Vultures
New York: Kepler and Schwarzmann, 1880. Original print. Offset color lithograph. Page measures 13 1/8" x 9 7/8" This powerful cartoon depicts the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt portrayed as Rizpah, the biblical figure and concubine of Saul, whose sons were killed as retribution for Saul's crimes against the Gibeonites. After being put to death and hung from a post, Rizpah spent several months protecting her sons' bodies from scavengers and birds of prey until they could be properly buried. The..... More