David and Bathsheba (다윗과 밧세바)

 

 

 

 

 

Arent de Gelder 1645 – 1727

Bathsheba makes an appeal to David

oil on canvas (86 × 100 cm) — c. 1685 - 1690
private collection

Arent de Gelder biography

 

This work is linked to 1 Kings 1:16

(왕상 1:16)

밧세바가 몸을 굽혀 왕께 절하니 왕이 이르되 어찌 됨이냐

 

King David is old and weak when Bathsheba visits him. only the crown and the scepter on the table hint at his royal status. Bathsheba reminds him that he promised that her son Solomon would be king after him. This is a sensitive matter, as David's son Adonijah has already made himself king - without telling his father. David listens to her and orders that Solomon is to be anointed king over Israel.

The succession of David was a popular subject among Rembrandt's students. Govert Flinck made a painting showing the same tableau.

Arent de Gelder here shows he paid close attention to Rembrandt's teachings. His use of dark and light is very similar to his master's.

 

 

 

 

 

Govert Flinck 1615 – 1660

Bathsheba makes an appeal to David

oil on canvas (104 × 152 cm) — 1651

  National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Govert Flinck biography

 

This work is linked to 1 Kings 1:16

(왕상 1:16)

밧세바가 몸을 굽혀 왕께 절하니 왕이 이르되 어찌 됨이냐

 

Bathsheba tries to convince king David to let their son Solomon be his heir. David had an older son, Adonijah, with another woman. Adonijah had more rights to the throne than Solomon. In the end Bathsheba got her way. She had much influence during Solomon's reign.

 

 

 

 

Artemisia Gentileschi 1593 – 1656

Bathing Bathsheba

oil on canvas (258 × 218 cm) — 1650

  Neues Palais, Potsdam

Artemisia Gentileschi biography

 

This work is linked to 2 Samuel 11:2

(삼하 11:2)

○저녁 때에 다윗이 그의 침상에서 일어나 왕궁 옥상에서 거닐다가 그 곳에서 보니 한 여인이 목욕을 하는데 심히 아름다워 보이는지라

 

Pretty Bathsheba has finished her bath. She is fixing her hair, using the mirror held by a servant. Other servants walk around.

Perhaps she has already received King David's message. David has been watching her from his balcony (top left) and asks her to pay him a visit.

Gentileschi depicted the subject several times.

The Palazzo Pitti owns a copy (pictured above) almost identical to the Potsdam version. It was restored in 2008, revealing the original fresh colors.

 

 

 

 

 

Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn 1606 – 1669

Bathing Bathsheba

oil on canvas (142 × 142 cm) — 1654

  Musée du Louvre, Paris

Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn biography

 

This work is linked to 2 Samuel 11:4

(삼하 11:4)

다윗이 전령을 보내어 그 여자를 자기에게로 데려오게 하고 그 여자가 그 부정함을 깨끗하게 하였으므로 더불어 동침하매 그 여자가 자기 집으로 돌아가니라

 

The beautiful Bathsheba is holding the letter in which David demands her presence. This meeting will result in a pregnancy. David then arranges Bathsheba's husband Uriah to be killed in battle. Bathsheba moves in with David, but their child dies soon after it is born.

Rembrandt depicts Bathsheba with great melancholy, as if she already knows what is about to happen. The letter is not mentioned in the Bible. Perhaps Rembrandt thought it would be a good idea to visualize the king's message.

 

 

 

Jan van Scorel 1495 – 1562

Landscape with Bathsheba

oil on panel (100 × 204 cm) — c. 1545

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Jan van Scorel biography

 

This work is linked to 2 Samuel 11:2

(삼하 11:2)

○저녁 때에 다윗이 그의 침상에서 일어나 왕궁 옥상에서 거닐다가 그 곳에서 보니 한 여인이 목욕을 하는데 심히 아름다워 보이는지라

One night, on looking out from his window, King David happens to see a beautiful woman taking a bath. He falls for her charms and makes her his mistress. To be rid of the husband, David has the poor fellow sent off to war, never to return. David then proceeds to marry the widow Bathsheba.

The couple has five children. The first son dies; the second is Solomon. Through her schemes and machinations Bathsheba manages to make him king.

This is the last known work of Van Scorel's.