Artwork
Bathsheba at Her Bath
Bathsheba at Her Bath is an oil painting by the High Baroque Italian artist Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
Bathsheba at Her Bath was created by Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari in 1700, executed in oil paint on canvas. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held. No accession number, commission details, or earlier provenance is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari, an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period, completed Bathsheba at Her Bath in 1700.
Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari, an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period, completed Bathsheba at Her Bath in 1700. Executed in oil paint, this work exemplifies the high Baroque Italian style. The painting depicts the biblical figure Bathsheba and is presently housed within the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a key example of Chiari's output from the turn of the 18th century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features three women within a lush garden setting. A central figure, identified as Bathsheba, sits in a bathing tub, attending to her hair with a ribbon. Two attendants are positioned nearby, holding fabrics and observing her.
In the background, trees, a temple-like structure, and a distant figure on a rock complete the scene. While referencing a biblical narrative, the painting emphasizes the elegance of the draped textiles and the serene postures of the figures.
Technique & Style
Chiari employed oil paint to achieve a refined aesthetic characteristic of the high Baroque Italian movement. The artist utilized smooth brushstrokes, contributing to a tranquil, almost ethereal atmosphere. The visual emphasis falls on the soft textures of the draped fabrics and the gentle, composed poses of the women.
This approach creates a sense of calm rather than dramatic intensity, highlighting the beauty of the human form and material.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari (10 March 1654 – 8 September 1727), also known as simply Giuseppe Chiari, was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period, active mostly in Rome.
