The Death of Abimelek
The Death of Abimelek
Oilgraph on wooden panel // 24” x 36”
Abimelek had destroyed the town of Shechem, sending all of them to retreat to the only tower. Setting fire to it, he rendered every man, woman and child into ash and salted the earth behind him.
When he moved on to Thebz, he set to do the same thing. They retreated to a tower where one woman with a millstone and perfect aim, dropped it on his head fatally wounding him.
With his head crushed, he only had one dying desire - "Kill me so that it will not be said I was killed by a woman."
And so his sword bearer granted him his wish and killed Abimelek with his own sword.
———————
Devon, who played Abimelek had previously been in a motorcycle accident leaving him with a deep scar on his head which was perfect for the piece. I glued on a bone fragment along the scar to finish it off.
Painted in live performance October 18, 2012.