Who painted An Urn and Two Quivers?

An Urn and Two Quivers was painted by Jacques-Louis David in 1778.

Where can I see An Urn and Two Quivers?

An Urn and Two Quivers is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is An Urn and Two Quivers?

An Urn and Two Quivers is associated with Neoclassicism.

Can I buy a print of An Urn and Two Quivers?

Museum-quality prints of An Urn and Two Quivers are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

An Urn and Two Quivers

Jacques-Louis David , 1778

An Urn and Two Quivers is an ink drawing by the Neoclassicist artist Jacques-Louis David. It dates from 1778 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left: paraphes of E.D. and J.D.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1778, Jacques‑Louis David’s drawing titled An Urn and Two Quivers presents a modest still‑life composed of three classical objects rendered on a beige sheet of laid paper. The composition places a sizeable, two‑handled urn on the left, while two arrow‑holding quivers occupy the central and right positions, each topped with a plume of feathers.

Subject & Meaning

The work isolates objects associated with antiquity and the hunt, inviting contemplation of their symbolic resonance. The urn, a vessel for storage or ritual, contrasts with the quivers, tools of martial activity, suggesting a dialogue between domesticity and warfare that reflects Enlightenment interest in classical themes.

Technique & Style

David employed black ink combined with a brown wash to achieve a warm, muted tonal range. Delicate hatching and cross‑hatching build surface texture and convey volume, while the wash adds subtle shading that unifies the three items against the paper’s natural hue.

History & Provenance

The drawing dates from the early phase of David’s career, preceding his rise as a leading Neoclassical painter. It remains a testament to his preparatory studies of classical motifs, though details of its ownership history prior to museum acquisition are not extensively documented.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Jacques-Louis David

Jacques-Louis David was born in Paris on 30 August 1748 into a bourgeois family; his father died in a duel when the boy was nine, and a maternal uncle guided his education.