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David Gives Uriah a Letter for Joab

Pieter Lastman

1619

oil

panel

From the collection of Mauritshuis

Dutch Golden Age Baroque Religious

Dominant colour

David Gives Uriah a Letter for Joab is a 1619 oil by Pieter Lastman, a Dutch Golden Age work, held at Mauritshuis.

Who painted this?: Pieter Lastman
When & what style?: 1619 · Dutch Golden Age
Where can I see it?: Mauritshuis

About this work

In this painting, a man sits on a throne, wearing a red and purple robe. He holds a letter in his right hand and a scepter in his left. To his right, a man sits at a table, looking at him. On the left side of the painting, a man kneels, holding a helmet and a sword. A dog stands beside him. The scene is set in a room with columns and a large window in the background. The window shows a cityscape with a large dome. The painting is done in oil paint and features a range of colors, from the deep reds and purples of the robes to the lighter tones of the stone columns. The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and drama in the scene. To learn more about this technique, look up chiaroscuro.

About the artist

Artist

Pieter Lastman

Pieter Lastman (1583–1633) was a Dutch painter. Lastman is considered important because of his work as a painter of history pieces and because his pupils included Rembrandt and Jan Lievens. In his paintings Lastman paid…

See the richer artist page