David and Bathsheba
(Renaissance Europe )
As described in the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel (11:2), King David gazes at Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, from the roof of his palace while she bathes. The king's infatuation with Bathsheba will lead him to order her husband's death and take her as his wife. Later, God causes Bathsheba's and David's newborn son to die as punishment.
Venetian painters, such as Bordone, were particularly known for their ability to paint beautiful, seductive women. The painting is characteristic of Bordone's fondness of fantastic architectural settings and deep perspective.
For more information on this painting, please see Federico Zeri's 1976 catalogue no. 271, p. 398.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Owned by Mrs. Donald B. Hebb, Baltimore; given to Walters Art Museum, 1956.
Exhibitions
2017 | Die Poesie der venezianischen Malerei - Paris Bordone, Palma il Vecchio, Lorenzo Lotto, Tizian (The Poetry of Venetian Painting: Paris Bordone, Palma il Vecchio, Lorenzo Lotto, Titian) . Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg. |
Geographies
Italy, Venice (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Painted surface H: 44 7/8 × W: 57 1/16 × D: 1 1/16 in. (114 × 145 × 2.7 cm); Framed H: 58 7/8 × W: 71 1/2 × D: 4 5/16 in. (149.54 × 181.61 × 11 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Donald B. Hebb, 1956
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
37.2371