A Flemish wood relief depicting Elijah and the Angel in the Wilderness, by Walter Pompe (1703-1777), 1767

Signed W. Pompe fec and dated 1767 30/6 (June 30, 1767)
Inscribed S. Elias 3 REG XIX

Edward R. Lubin, New York

The Jewish Museum, New York, The Hebrew Bible in Christian, Jewish and Muslim art, February 18 - March 24, 1963

Arthur Allen Cohen, The Hebrew Bible in Christian, Jewish and Muslim art, New York, 1963, cover

Age cracks and surface abrasions throughout. Carved in three sections with seams visible. Some age cracks, separation, and fill at seams. Worming and small losses throughout. Losses in trees at top center. Remnants of pigment. Restoration to border at bottom left corner. With modern wood reinforcement behind.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The scene depicted on this finely-carved door is described in 1 Kings 19, in which the prophet Elias, or Elijah, sits beneath a juniper tree and prays for his own death. God refuses, and when Elijah falls asleep he is awakened by an angel telling him to eat and drink.  The reference to food in this context alludes to God's benevolence and the Eucharist as spiritual nourishment, a fitting subject for a tabernacle door.

A small terracotta turtle very similar to the one seen to the left of Elijah, bearing the same flower-like design on its shell, is in the Van Herck collection in the King Boudoin Foundation, Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp (inv. 3), and is signed W. Pompe and dated July 3, 1764.