Who painted King David And Abishag?

Pieter De Grebber painted King David And Abishag in 1600.

What Bible passage does King David And Abishag depict?

King David And Abishag depicts the biblical scene from 1 Kings 1:1-4.

King David And Abishag by Pieter De Grebber

Share Facebook X Pinterest Reddit LinkedIn Email

"David and Abishag" is a 17th-century painting by the Dutch artist Pieter Fransz de Grebber, currently held in a private collection. The work depicts a poignant scene from the opening chapter of the biblical book of 1 Kings, where the elderly King David is attended by Abishag, a young woman from Shunem who was chosen to care for the king and keep him warm in his final days. De Grebber’s painting captures the intimacy and solemnity of this moment, reflecting both the vulnerability of David and the compassion of Abishag. The artwork is in the public domain and is recognized for its historical and artistic significance, offering insight into both biblical narrative and Dutch Golden Age painting.

Details

Artist: Pieter De Grebber
Created: c. 1600
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimension: 129cm × 103cm
Passage: 1 Kings 1:1-4

Found in: 1 Kings, 1 Kings 1, 16th century

1 Kings 1:1-4

1 Now king David was old and advanced in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he couldn’t keep warm.

2 Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king. Let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.”

3 So they sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and served him; but the king didn’t know her intimately.

1 Kings 1:1-4 · World English Bible

The artist

Pieter De Grebber

1573 - 1643

Haarlem, Netherland

De Grebber was born in Haarlem, the oldest son of Frans Pietersz de Grebber (1573–1643), a painter and embroiderer in Haarlem, and the brother of the painters Maria and Albert. He learned to paint from his father and from Hendrick Goltzius. He was descended from a Catholic and artistic family and his sister Maria later became the mother-in-law of Gabriel Metsu. He was a friend of the priest and musicologist Jan Albertszoon Ban, and had a poem set to music…