Artwork
David and Bathsheba
David and Bathsheba is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Carl Blechen. It dates from 1826 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
This 1826 drawing, 'David and Bathsheba', is a work on paper by Carl Blechen, created with pen and brown ink, brown wash, and graphite.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing illustrates a biblical scene where King David gazes upon Bathsheba as she bathes, a narrative that explores themes of desire and moral consequence.
Technique & Style
Blechen's use of pen and ink with wash over graphite on laid paper showcases his skill in rendering nuanced, expressive scenes, characteristic of his Romanticist leanings.
Context
As a professor at the Berlin Academy of Arts, Blechen's work was influenced by Romanticism, which celebrated the emotional and expressive potential of natural beauty and dramatic subjects.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carl Eduard Ferdinand Blechen (29 July 1798 – 23 July 1840) was a German landscape painter and a professor at the Academy of Arts, Berlin. His distinctive style was characteristic of the Romantic ideals of natural beauty.
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