Samuel tips a curved horn and pours oil on the young man’s head.
Bible in art · 1 Samuel
Samuel Anointing David
After Maarten van Heemskerck · c. 1556
National Gallery of Art, Washington
This engraving is the first of a series on the life of David after designs by Maarten van Heemskerck, made about 1556; this impression was published by Joan Galle in Antwerp. A cartouche in the picture sums up the series in Latin.
Young David kneels with his hands joined while old Samuel pours oil on his head from a horn. His brothers stand around, some turned away. Behind them smoke and flame rise from an altar, and far off at the right the boy is seen again, playing a harp among his sheep.
From the text
- Samuel coming to Bethlehem to offer a sacrifice (1 Samuel 16:2–5)
- The youngest son, out tending the sheep (1 Samuel 16:11)
- Samuel anointing David with the horn of oil in the presence of his brothers (1 Samuel 16:13)
The artist’s own
- David’s harp and sling lying on the ground before him
- Samuel kneeling in prayer on a hill at the top left
- The brothers in classical robes
- A Latin cartouche set into the picture
Details
The horn of oil
David
The young man kneels with his hands joined.
The sacrifice
Flames and smoke rise from a brick altar with an animal’s head.
Harp and sling
A harp and a sling lie on the ground in front of him.
With the sheep
Far off, a youth plays a harp among the sheep as a man comes to fetch him.
Praying
An old man kneels in prayer on a hill.
After Maerten van Heemskerck, Netherlandish, 1498–1574. National Gallery of Art, Washington (Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1974.33.43) · Engraving · NGA Open Access: "Images of these works are available free of charge for any use, commercial or non-commercial, under Creative Commons Zero (CC0)." (NGA open data: published_images.csv openaccess = 1)