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Poorter, Willem de
David and the Crown of Saul David et la couronne de Saül
around 1645 v. 1645

This small painting by the Haarlem artist De Poorter is a study in conflicting emotions, as the Old Testament hero David receives the news that King Saul and his son Jonathan, David’s close friend, have died fighting against the Amalekites. David rends his garments in grief even as he prepares to accept leadership of the House of Judah. The lofty architectural setting, fine details, and intense atmosphere recall Rembrandt’s work of the 1630s, providing evidence that the master’s impact reached beyond Amsterdam.

Poorter, Willem de
Haarlem, Netherlands 1608-Haarlem, Netherlands 1668 Haarlem, Netherlands 1608-Haarlem, Netherlands 1668
David and the Crown of Saul David et la couronne de Saül
around 1645 v. 1645
Oil on panel Huile sur panneau
58.4 x 46.9 cm
Gift of Alfred and Isabel Bader, 2013 Don d'Alfred et Isabel Bader, 2013
56-003.27

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