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Idol Collection (#2)

From Hollywood heartthrobs to ancient deities, idols have captivated us throughout history

Background imageIdol Collection: The Idolatry of King Solomon, 1630-1648. Creator: Willem de Poorter

The Idolatry of King Solomon, 1630-1648. Creator: Willem de Poorter
The Idolatry of King Solomon, 1630-1648

Background imageIdol Collection: The Idolatry of King Solomon, 1644. Creator: Salomon Koninck

The Idolatry of King Solomon, 1644. Creator: Salomon Koninck
The Idolatry of King Solomon, 1644

Background imageIdol Collection: Solomon Worshipping False Gods. Creator: Master MZ

Solomon Worshipping False Gods. Creator: Master MZ
Solomon Worshipping False Gods

Background imageIdol Collection: Solomon Worshipping False Gods, 1501. Creator: Master MZ

Solomon Worshipping False Gods, 1501. Creator: Master MZ
Solomon Worshipping False Gods, 1501

Background imageIdol Collection: With Lord Dufferin in Burma - The Viceroy at Mandalay returning Buddist Images, 1886

With Lord Dufferin in Burma - The Viceroy at Mandalay returning Buddist Images, 1886. Creator: Unknown
With Lord Dufferin in Burma - The Viceroy at Mandalay returning Buddist Images to the Archbishop and Priest's, 1886. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper Volume 33

Background imageIdol Collection: Rachel (1821-1858), en costume de tragédie, c1859. Creator: Jean-Leon Gerome

Rachel (1821-1858), en costume de tragédie, c1859. Creator: Jean-Leon Gerome
Rachel (1821-1858), en costume de tragedie, c1859

Background imageIdol Collection: Solomon Praying to the Idols, c. 1519. Creator: Albrecht Altdorfer

Solomon Praying to the Idols, c. 1519. Creator: Albrecht Altdorfer
Solomon Praying to the Idols, c. 1519

Background imageIdol Collection: Charlemagne destroys a pagan idol, (1936). Creator: Unknown

Charlemagne destroys a pagan idol, (1936). Creator: Unknown
Charlemagne destroys a pagan idol, (1936). Sturz Der Irmensaule Durch Karl Den Grossen, 772 AD. According to medieval sources, Charlemagne

Background imageIdol Collection: Moses with the Ten Commandments, c. 1650-1660

Moses with the Ten Commandments, c. 1650-1660. Found in the Collection of Musee de Picardie, Amiens

Background imageIdol Collection: Balbals, ancient Turkic sculptures (6th-10th century), near Burana tower, Chuy oblast

Balbals, ancient Turkic sculptures (6th-10th century), near Burana tower, Chuy oblast, Kyrgyzstan

Background imageIdol Collection: Khabarovsk: Chinese idol, 1900-1904. Creator: A. P. Lukin

Khabarovsk: Chinese idol, 1900-1904. Creator: A. P. Lukin
Khabarovsk: Chinese idol, 1900-1904. National Library of Russia

Background imageIdol Collection: Lord Hanuman in Marble India

Lord Hanuman in Marble India
3609806 Lord Hanuman in Marble India by Indian School; Private Collection; Dinodia

Background imageIdol Collection: Raphael drawing first sketch of Madonna della seggiola

Raphael drawing first sketch of Madonna della seggiola
3787692 Raphael drawing first sketch of Madonna della seggiola; (add.info.: Raphael drawing first sketch of Madonna della seggiola on the bottom of a barrell, 1509)

Background imageIdol Collection: Moses destroying the golden calf - Bible

Moses destroying the golden calf - Bible
3781389 Moses destroying the golden calf - Bible; (add.info.: Moses destroying the golden calf when he comes down from Mount Sinai. Deuteronomy, chapter IX. Cassell's Illustrated Family Bible)

Background imageIdol Collection: Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman (gouache and w/c on paper)

Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman (gouache and w/c on paper)
DND221218 Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman (gouache and w/c on paper) by Indian School; Private Collection; Dinodia

Background imageIdol Collection: The worship of the Golden Calf - Bible

The worship of the Golden Calf - Bible
3784249 The worship of the Golden Calf - Bible; (add.info.: The worship of the Golden Calf, made by Aaron Exodus 22. After an engraving by W French. Payne's Illustrated Family Bible)

Background imageIdol Collection: Colombia, Magdalena, Santa Marta, Pibe Valderrama statue by soccer stadium

Colombia, Magdalena, Santa Marta, Pibe Valderrama statue by soccer stadium
2040-210438-01

Background imageIdol Collection: Crodon

Crodon
3782209 Crodon; (add.info.: Crodon, idol of the Ancient Saxons, reproduced from the 1656 woodcut in Herman Stangefol's Annales Circuli Westphaliae')

Background imageIdol Collection: Irmin

Irmin
3782208 Irmin; (add.info.: Irmin (captioned here as Hermensul or Irminsul), the Germanic god, reproduced from the 1656 woodcut in Herman Stangefol's Annales Circuli Westphaliae'

Background imageIdol Collection: Ancient Germanic gods: Irmensula, Crodo and Prono

Ancient Germanic gods: Irmensula, Crodo and Prono
Ancient Germanic deities: Irmensula, god of the Saxons and Westphalians depicted in medieval armour 1, Crodo or Cronus (Saturn) with spear and shield 2, and Prono or Brennus

Background imageIdol Collection: Figure of Baal, Canaanite (bronze)

Figure of Baal, Canaanite (bronze)
BLP397823 Figure of Baal, Canaanite (bronze) by Bronze Age (2000-600 BC); Hecht Museum, Haifa, Israel; (add.info.: God of war; ); Photo eZev Radovan; out of copyright

Background imageIdol Collection: Tom Jones at home in Pontypridd with his mother. 27th December 1966

Tom Jones at home in Pontypridd with his mother. 27th December 1966

Background imageIdol Collection: Tom Jones, a boy on top of the world, sings from the mountain top above his hometown of

Tom Jones, a boy on top of the world, sings from the mountain top above his hometown of Pontypridd. 27th December 1966

Background imageIdol Collection: George Harrison of The Beatles is kissed by two female fans

George Harrison of The Beatles is kissed by two female fans. Elaine on the left and Gillian on the right. They are at The Liverpool Empire Theatre for tonight Christmas concert by the group

Background imageIdol Collection: David Cassidy at Thames TV. The pavement outside the studio was crowded with his fans

David Cassidy at Thames TV. The pavement outside the studio was crowded with his fans. He waved to the girls from a balcony shortly before he gave them the slip by being driven out of the studio car

Background imageIdol Collection: Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009) was an American singer

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Called the King of Pop, his contributions to music and dance

Background imageIdol Collection: Simon Le Bon (left) & Nick Rhodes (right) from music group Duran Duran, 20th July 1983

Simon Le Bon (left) & Nick Rhodes (right) from music group Duran Duran, 20th July 1983

Background imageIdol Collection: Simon Le Bon, lead singer of music group Duran Duran, 20th July 1983

Simon Le Bon, lead singer of music group Duran Duran, 20th July 1983

Background imageIdol Collection: The Principal Idols of the Saxons, worship d in Britain, late 16th-early 17th century? Creator

The Principal Idols of the Saxons, worship d in Britain, late 16th-early 17th century? Creator
The Principal Idols of the Saxons, worship d in Britain, late 16th-early 17th century? Depiction of Saxon deities or Germanic gods which gave their names to the days of the week

Background imageIdol Collection: Le Ciel - Paris Cabaret Nightclub - Adoration of golden pig

Le Ciel - Paris Cabaret Nightclub - Adoration of golden pig
Le Ciel - Montmartre, Paris Cabaret Nightclub. The Cabaret du Ciel (Cabaret of Heaven) was an early version of modern theme restaurants

Background imageIdol Collection: Aztec Statuettes - Idols - In the National Museum of Mexico

Aztec Statuettes - Idols - In the National Museum of Mexico, Mexico City. Date: 1910s

Background imageIdol Collection: Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law, ca 1624-1625

Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law, ca 1624-1625. Found in the Collection of Galleria Borghese, Rome

Background imageIdol Collection: Moses with the Ten Commandments

Moses with the Ten Commandments. Found in the collection of Nationalmuseum Stockholm

Background imageIdol Collection: Moses with the Ten Commandments, 1841

Moses with the Ten Commandments, 1841. Found in the Collection of Musee d Art Thomas Henry, Cherbourg

Background imageIdol Collection: Moses receiving the tablets of law (Miniature from the Moutier-Grandval Bible), ca 830-ca 840

Moses receiving the tablets of law (Miniature from the Moutier-Grandval Bible), ca 830-ca 840. Artist: Anonymous
Moses receiving the tablets of law (Miniature from the Moutier-Grandval Bible), ca 830-ca 840. Found in the collection of British Library

Background imageIdol Collection: Moses with the Ten Commandments, 1659. Artist: Rembrandt van Rhijn (1606-1669)

Moses with the Ten Commandments, 1659. Artist: Rembrandt van Rhijn (1606-1669)
Moses with the Ten Commandments, 1659. Found in the collection of the Staatliche Museen, Berlin

Background imageIdol Collection: The Great Buddha, 1899. Artist: Paul Gauguin

The Great Buddha, 1899. Artist: Paul Gauguin
The Great Buddha, 1899. Found in the collection of the State A Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow

Background imageIdol Collection: Baal, chief god of the Canaanites, 1804

Baal, chief god of the Canaanites, 1804
Baal, god of the Canaanites, 1804. Baal, god of fertility and king of the gods of the Canaanites. He reared up an altar for Baal, in the house of Baal, in Samaria (I Kings 16:32)

Background imageIdol Collection: Garuda statue, Pashupatinath, Kathmandu, Nepal

Garuda statue, Pashupatinath, Kathmandu, Nepal

Background imageIdol Collection: Hindu temple, Aihole, Karnataka, India

Hindu temple, Aihole, Karnataka, India

Background imageIdol Collection: The idol Artist

The idol Artist
Souvik Banerjee

Background imageIdol Collection: Indian Idol in the grounds, Sandringham, Norfolk

Indian Idol in the grounds, Sandringham, Norfolk - Painted by artist Charles Howard for the Sevenoaks based publishing and printing company J

Background imageIdol Collection: Idol Vitzliputzli (Huitzilopochtli). Mexican idol

Idol Vitzliputzli (Huitzilopochtli). Mexican idol. Engraving. Historia de la Conquista de Mexico, poblacion, y progresos de la America septentrional

Background imageIdol Collection: Idol in Red Idol Gorge, on the road to Gyantse, from a fascinating album which reveals new details

Idol in Red Idol Gorge, on the road to Gyantse, from a fascinating album which reveals new details on a little-known campaign in which a British military force brushed aside Tibetan defences to

Background imageIdol Collection: Idols in monastery at Gyantse, from a fascinating album which reveals new details on a

Idols in monastery at Gyantse, from a fascinating album which reveals new details on a little-known campaign in which a British military force brushed aside Tibetan defences to capture Lhasa

Background imageIdol Collection: Canton. Candelabra before the Idol of Longevity

Canton. Candelabra before the Idol of Longevity
Pierre Joseph Rossier. Views in China issued by Negretti and Zambra in 1859 and 1861. First Series and second series. These important images were the first commercial views of China to be sold in

Background imageIdol Collection: Greta Garbo in Mata Hari

Greta Garbo in Mata Hari
Greta Garbo (1905-1990) playing the title role in the 1931 film Mata Hari'. Date: 1931

Background imageIdol Collection: Wooden anthropomorphic figure. Chimu culture

Wooden anthropomorphic figure. Chimu culture
Wooden anthropomorphic figure. There were idols and depictions of ancestors In the temples and shrines. Chimu culture. Late Intermediate Horizon (1000-1470 AD). Peru. Museum of the Americas




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From Hollywood heartthrobs to ancient deities, idols have captivated us throughout history. On the Tatler cover, Ronald Colman and his Sealyham Terrier exude an idol-like aura of charm and elegance. Meanwhile, the Big Buddha statue on Lantau Island stands tall as a symbol of devotion in Hong Kong's Po Lin Monastery. In the world of entertainment, Rudolph Valentino was hailed as a silent film idol whose smoldering looks melted hearts worldwide. And even centuries ago, a man with a glass in hand captured in Cycladic Art became an enigmatic idol frozen in time. Traveling to India's Kumortuli reveals small bells that adorn idols crafted by skilled artisans in Kolkata, showcasing their dedication to religious traditions. In Mexico's Aztec civilization, human sacrifices were offered to appease the sun-god—an unsettling reminder of how far people would go for their beliefs. Literature too has its share of idols; Bardelys The Magnificent tells tales of charismatic heroes who become legends. Yet not all they are fictional; missionaries like those shown in 1837 sought to challenge China's worship practices and redefine what it meant to be an idolater. Throughout history, figures like Charlemagne and Baal held immense power over civilizations as gods or rulers—idols worshipped or feared by many. Even closer to home at Sandringham estate lies an Indian Idol amidst the grounds—a testament to cultural exchange and appreciation. Lastly, we encounter Vitzliputzli (Huitzilopochtli), a Mexican deity whose name echoes through time—an idol revered by ancient civilizations for protection and strength. Whether they inspire adoration or controversy, these diverse idols remind us of humanity's eternal quest for something greater than ourselves.