Artist: Jan Luyken (Dutch, 1649 – 1712)
Title: Parable of the Royal Wedding
Medium: Antique engraving on laid paper.
Publisher: Frans Houtteyn
Reference: Hollstein / Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts c.1450-1700 ; Luyken 1905 / Het Werk van Jan en Caspar Luyken.
Dimensions: Sight size: 12 7/8 x 17 3/8 inches.
Framed Dimensions: Approximately 22 x 26 inches.
Framing: This piece has been professionally matted and framed using all new materials.
The “Royal Wedding” in Matthew 22:1-14 is a parable Jesus told, comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to a king holding a feast for his son’s wedding; the initially invited guests (representing Israel) reject the invitation, some even killing the king’s servants, leading the king to invite everyone from the streets (both good and bad). A key moment is finding a man without a proper wedding garment, who is cast out, illustrating that while many are called to God’s salvation, only those with genuine faith (the “garment”) are truly chosen.
Jan Luyken (1649–1712) is a well listed artist. He was a prolific Dutch poet, illustrator, and engraver, famous for his detailed, spiritually-focused prints illustrating trades, religious persecution, and mystical themes. after a youthful period of erotic poetry led to a profound conversion to Pietistic Anabaptist Christianity, he became a major figure in Dutch art and literature known for detailed realism.