Italian school; late sixteenth century-early seventeenth century. "King David before the altar". Oil on copper.

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OLD MASTERS

By Setdart Auction House

Oct 20, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-10-20 07:30:00 2021-10-20 07:30:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : OLD MASTERS https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/setdart-auction-house/old-masters-7700
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• Lot Description
  Italian school; late sixteenth century-early seventeenth century. "King David before the altar". Oil on copper. Presents repainting. Size: 32 x 47 cm; 51 x 64 cm (frame). This work of classical composition, marked by a certain symmetry and a harmonic game that balances the contrasts of the tonalities used, is inscribed in the aesthetic framework of the Italian school. The representation of the scene, which stands out for the profusion and dynamism of the figures, introduces the biblical theme narrated in Samuel 24. In this passage it is told how King David decides to create a census of the people of Israel, being incited by the devil, since with this act he contradicted the advice of the general Joab. After unleashing the wrath of God with his act, David is punished to three years of famine, three months of devastation by the sword of his enemies or three days of pestilence in the land. Finally, having to decide between these three premises, David decides for the last one, whose direct consequence is the death of seventy thousand people, provoked by the angel of death. In this situation David turns to God, "Am I not the one who commanded to number the people? Surely I am the one who has sinned and acted very wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? O Lord my God, I beseech You, let Your hand be against me and against my father's house, but not against Your people, that there be no plague among them. Finally, David built an altar where he made sacrifices as an offering to God, who finally removed the plague. Formally, this work is dominated by the influence of the Roman-Bolognese classicism of the Carracci and their followers, one of the two great currents of the Italian Baroque, together with Caravaggio's naturalism. Thus, the figures are monumental, with idealized faces and serene and balanced gestures, in an idealized representation based on classical canons. Also the rhetoric of the gestures, theatrical and eloquent, clearly baroque, is typical of the Italian classicism of the XVII century. It is also worth mentioning the importance of the chromatic aspect, very thoughtful, intoned and balanced, centered on basic ranges around red, ochre and blue. Also the way of composing the scene, with a circular rhythm, typical of this school of baroque classicism.
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