Anonymous - David and Nathan

The subject of the work has previously been described as the "Coronation of Charlemagne," although the work actually draws on a different iconographic tradition. The scene features two figures, the one on the right being identified as a sovereign, given the presence of a crown and scepter on the table nearby. In front of him, another bearded figure raises a hand, while the sovereign has a vision of an angel offering him three arrows. The key to understanding the episode the work refers to is the presence of the harp, which undoubtedly leads us to identify the sovereign as King David. The harp is, in fact, one of his traditional iconographic attributes, so much so that he is also considered the patron saint of singers. At this point, the scene depicted might bring to mind David's encounter with the prophet Nathan, when the latter reproached the king for having Uriah the Hittite killed in order to marry his wife Bathsheba, prompting him to repent. The vision of the angel with the three arrows might suggest King David's desire for contrition and atonement.

This work displays exquisite pictorial craftsmanship, with a 17th-century classicist spirit prevailing. The composition is highly balanced, with the main characters positioned precisely at the center of the work, creating a marked symmetry. The figures are characterized by monumental masses, highlighted by the ample drapery covering their bodies. The artist achieves a complete naturalism in the delicacy of their gestures and the expression of their emotions. The two main characters are connected by a balance of movements that recall one another, creating a harmonious rhythm within the work. The setting, inspired by ancient history, even though it is a biblical episode, still follows the Renaissance tradition, and the artist demonstrates an excellent technique in the use of sfumato. The elements, in fact, gently blend through the use of the tonal qualities of color. A dark palette, already typical of the 17th century, prevails in the chromatic palette, but there are also flashes of brilliance in the characters' robes. The light spreads naturally, forming deep shadows in the drapery of the clothes.

An analysis of the painting suggests a seventeenth-century painter close to the Classicist movement. This is evident in the work's formal balance, evident in both the composition and the pictorial application, which maintains a harmony and rigor still close to Renaissance naturalism. Likewise, the calm sentiments expressed in the overall atmosphere of the work, which draws on an intimate and domestic religious conception, are typical of the Classicist movement, in stark contrast to the excesses of the Baroque.

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