Treasures

The scripture chopping machine

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Ferdinand Hodler, L’Unanimité © Musée d'art et d'histoire de Genève, photo: Y. Siza

Protestantism's relationship to democracy

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A caricature by Wolfgang-Adam Töpffer

In this caricature, Töpffer depicts the priest of Geneva, Jean-François Vuarin, a fierce opponent of Protestantism, and a pastor who bears on his flap the names of two British preachers who introduced the Evangelical Revival in Geneva: the Englishman Henry Drummond and the Scot Robert Haldane.

The two figures, one red with fury, the other yellow with bile, reduce the Scriptures to crumbs by means of an infernal machine. Out of their theological outburst comes Heavy Darkness.

Wolfgang-Adam Töpffer (1766-1847), Feder und schwarze Tinte, grau laviert, Aquarell. 1817 (?). Grafikkabinett des Museums für Kunst und Geschichte, Genf, Nachlass von Etienne Duval, Inv. 1914-0080. Faksimile ausgestellt im Internationalen Museum der Reformation, Genf.

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