David and Bathsheba

3 Pages 725 Words

“David and Bathsheba”

Artemisia Gentileshci was a talented artist, one of the greatest of the seventeenth century. She and Viviano Codazzi and Domenico Garginio created “David and Bathsheba as an oil on canvas, dated 1636- 1637. A few things caught my eye as I entered the room of the “Old Masters” where this piece is found. One being the size of the painting and second, being the four dominant subjects within the piece, Bathsheba and her three maids. The woman with the bowl I recognized resembles a mirror image of a subject in, “The Birth of John the Baptist.” The artist pulls your eye to the front three subjects by using strict diagonal aligning and different hues and a higher intensity than the remainder of the portrait.
Bathsheba is clearly the focal point. She is placed at the center of the three other women who all seem to be doing something for her; giving her a necklace, combing her hair, and preparing to wash her. Also, we can see David hidden in the background building, standing watching down on Bathsheba.
“David and Bathsheba” portrays an example of each line. There are straight lines throughout the work, including the railing that runs through the piece, the different levels of the building, and the tiles on the ground. Artemisia uses curves in the arches of the building, the basin of water, and the natural shape of the human form. Each of the five subjects seems to be looking at one another creating implied lines.
The artist uses contrasting hues including black and white, and the complementary colors such as orange and blue, as seen in the clothing. Gentileshci uses tinting on the basin, creating a silver shine to it. Another example of tinting is shown in Bathsheba’s body and in her clothes perhaps to stand her out as the focal point. Shading is also used, portraying a shadowy look on the floor and the maidservant. To create a darker background, the artist used hues of lower value an...