The Story of David and Bathsheba
About this artwork
This landscape painting depicts a complex narrative setting, with a large maze and an architectural foreground filled with figures engaged in courtly activities. It is part of the collection at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Did you know?
While the title references the biblical tale of David and Bathsheba, the painting is quintessential of the Northern Renaissance tradition of 'world landscapes,' where the narrative is often secondary to the expansive, meticulously detailed background. Herri met de Bles was known for his 'owl' signature and these imaginative, distant mountain vistas that frame human drama within vast, atmospheric natural settings.
Know the artwork. Knowing its title and artist turns a beautiful image into a story worth sharing — with a museum label:
The Story of David and Bathsheba
Herri met de Bles, 1537
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