Artwork
David: "Oh, that I had wings like a Dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest." Psalm 55:6
David: "Oh, that I had wings like a Dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest." Psalm 55:6 is an unspecified painting by the British Romanticist artist Frederic Leighton. It dates from 1865 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the biblical sentiment expressed in Psalm 55:6, where the speaker wishes for the wings of a dove to escape trouble and find rest.
The painting depicts the biblical sentiment expressed in Psalm 55:6, where the speaker wishes for the wings of a dove to escape trouble and find rest. Frederic Leighton visualizes this text as the central subject, translating the scriptural plea for flight and tranquility into a visual narrative. The work serves as an iconographic representation of the desire to flee earthly distress and attain spiritual peace through divine deliverance. By focusing on this specific verse, the artwork embodies the theme of longing for liberation from suffering.
History & Provenance
Frederic Leighton executed this painting in 1865 while working in England. The work entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is held under the accession number 1986.74. Institutional records list the year of inception as 1865.
Overview
Frederic Leighton’s 1865 oil painting, titled David: “Oh, that I had wings like a Dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest,” is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work presents a solitary, bearded figure in dark garments, positioned on a stone ledge that overlooks a turbulent, cloud‑filled sky.
Technique & Style
Leighton employs chiaroscuro, contrasting the illuminated sleeve and ledge edge with the surrounding darkness to heighten the scene’s emotional tension. The brushwork renders the rocky ground and turbulent sky with a restrained palette, while the low‑flying birds add a subtle narrative element within the composition.
Context
The work belongs to a period when Victorian painters often explored themes of melancholy and spiritual yearning through biblical references. Leighton’s choice of a solitary figure against a stormy backdrop aligns with contemporary concerns about human vulnerability and the search for solace beyond earthly confines.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton, known as Sir Frederic Leighton between 1878 and 1896, was a British Victorian painter, draughtsman, and sculptor.
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The Apostle Paul- David: "Oh, that I had wings like a Dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest." Psalm 55:6