Biblical Art

The “Lion of Judah” is one of the many symbols for the Messiah. Genesis contains the earliest such reference in the Bible. As Jacob blesses his sons, he says of Judah:

Genesis 49:9-10:

Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

This refers to the kingship of Juda's descendant. Hosea adds more to this lion imagery, citing it as representing God’s power over the affairs of man.

Hosea 11:10:

They (Ephraim) shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.”

What Genesis and Hosea presage is depicted in the Book of Revelation.

Revelation 5:5

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Here, the "lion" is again said to be a descendant of Judah. He is God’s power embodied in the Messiah – “the Lion of the tribe of Juda(h).”*

The painting, “The Lion of Judah,” symbolically reflects these themes. For instance, the lion rests before an olive grove on the Mt. of Olives where Jesus Christ lived during his ministry (most likely in an olive-press cave). The paw of the lion rests upon a clay potshard (used for notes in ancient times). Written on it is "beth david" in ancient Aramaic - meaning "the House of David." This reflects not only Revelation 5:5’s “root of David,” but also the archaeologically important 9th century BC inscription containing the same (the Tel Dan Stele).** The potshard’s red color signifies the Messiah’s shed blood and his humanity, being the “last Adam” (2 Cor 15:45).*** The vista behind the lion looks west across the Kedron Valley to ancient Jerusalem. There, the Temple in the distance symbolizes the power of David, brought to completion by Solomon – an era of Judean glory.

 * Ethiopia’s sign for their Royal family is also called the “Lion of Judah.” This reflects their historical King Menelik, considered to be the offspring of King Solomon and Makeda, Queen Sheeba.

** The Tel Dan Stele is a black basalt stele discovered during excavations at Tel Dan in northern Israel. It was erected by an Aramaean king and contains an Aramaic inscription commemorating victories over local ancient peoples including “Israel” and the “House of David.”

*** The name “Adam” comes from the Hebrew root word meaning “red,” reflecting that humankind was made of clay.

Fafhard and the Gray Mouser were created during correspondence between Fritz Leiber and his lifelong friend,Harry Fischer. Together they created the imaginary world of Nehwon and its city, Lankhmar, with its fictional heroes loosely based on their creators: the barbarian Fafhrd on Leiber, and the thief The Gray Mouser on Fischer.

In 1937, Leiber and Fischer designed a board game set in this fantasy world and each began composing a story with the same setting. Fischer's story was "The Lords of Quarmall" and Leiber's "The Adventure of the Grain Ships" (neither story was finished until much later). During this creative period, Fischer's wife, Martha – then a fashion illustrator and cartographer – rendered Ningauble in pastels, the only known likeness approved by his creators (see next page for more about this).

1939 saw the first professional publication of a story by Leiber, “Two Sought Adventure,” in Unknown magazine. “The Adventure of the Grain Ships” was not published until 1964, when it appeared in Fantastic magazine under the title, “The Lords of Quarmall.” Fischer wrote its core 10,000 words during his early correspondence with Leiber, and Fritz finally added the beginning and end.

Over the years, quite a few artists have portrayed Ningauble in various magazines and books. Some may be found on the internet to this day. However, in my opinion, none of them were near what my mother's was like.

As you will see, my Ningauble on this page differs a bit from the original Ningauble posted below. However, I hope it managed to preserve the sense of the character, yet in the more permanant oil medium. I'll let you decide whether I succeeded :-)

For anyone not familiar Fritz's writings, the character of Ningauble of the Seven Eyes is captured well in this excerpt from The Swords of Lankhmar...

Ningauble shrugged his cloaked, bulbous shoulders. "I thought you were a brave man, addicted to deeds of derring-do."

Fafhrd cursed sardonically, then demanded, "But even if I should go clang those rusty bells, how can Lankhmar hold out until then with her walls breached and the odds fifty to one against her?

"I'd like to know that myself," Ningauble assured him.

"And how do I get to the temple when the streets are crammed with warfare?"

Ningauble shrugged once again. "You're a hero. You should know."

Ningauble of the Seven Eyes is one of two wizards in Fritz Leiber’s Lankhmar tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. The patron warlock of Fafhrd the northerner, Ningauble is so named due to his roving seven [sometimes six] glowing eyes. Along with the Gray Mouser’s patron warlock, Sheelba of the Eyeless Face, Ningauble often sends his hapless minion on ludicrous missions such as recovering the mask of Death or to steal the very stars from the highest mountain. 

For anyone reading this who is a Fafhard and Gray Mouser fan, this should be a real treat for you. Below is the authentic Ningauble rendered by Martha Fischer (my mother) during the year(s) that Fritz Leiber and Harry Fischer (my father) developed the characters.

Ningauble of the Seven Eyes is one of two seers in Fritz Leiber’s tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser in the imaginary Lankhmar. The patron of Fafhrd the northerner, Ningauble is so named due to his roving seven glowing eyes.

Along with the Gray Mouser’s patron, Sheelba of the Eyeless Face, Ningauble often sends his hapless minion on ludicrous missions such as recovering the mask of Death or to steal the very stars from the highest mountain.