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David Playing the Harp

German 15th Century

1500

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

David Playing the Harp is a 1500 ink by German 15th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: German 15th Century
When & what style?: 1500 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print shows a young man playing a harp in a forest. Behind him, a town with towers and buildings sits on a hill. Trees and bushes fill the scene, and a small boat floats on a river in the distance. The lines are bold and simple, with no shading—just black and white. The artist used a tool to carve the design into wood, then printed it. This method was common before photography. Next, look up technique: woodcut.