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Attributed to Hendrik van Balen, circa 1650 Bathsheba receiving David’s letter in an architectural capriccio with a sculpted fountain and a distant landscape oil on marble laid down on slate Provenance:
This picture is attributed to the Flemish artist, Hendrik van Balen, but has also been linked to Jacques Stella, Johan Konig and Hans Rottenhammer. Despite the high quality of the painting, it has hitherto defied any convincing attribution. The distant wooded landscape with its cool, luminous coloring, perhaps by another hand, appears to be Flemish, and may be by a landscapist of the Brussels School. The vibrant palette also suggests a German influence. The story of Bathsheba is told in 2 Samuel 11:1-26, where it is said that King David was walking on his roof top and spied Bathsheba bathing. He committed adultery with her and she conceived a child. In an effort to conceal his sin, the King gave the order that Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, should be put on the frontline of battle, so he would be killed. After Uriah was gone, David made the widowed Bathsheba his wife. The present work depicts the moment that Bathsheba receives the letter from David, inviting her to his palace. The letter, not mentioned in the bible, is a device that evolved from artistic convention. It is also worth noting that the artist focused on Bathsheba’s story and chose not to include David in the scene. This idea of focusing solely on Bathsheba’s plight is also present in later works by Jan Steen and Frans van Mieris, but would find its ultimate culmination in Rembrandt’s magisterial canvas in the Louvre. Problems of attribution aside, this remarkable painting can be appreciated for its brilliant exploitation of the marble surface, revealing it wherever marble is depicted in the painting itself. This Baroque conceit is so cleverly executed that one must study the painting carefully before perceiving the illusionistic reference.
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