Bathseba Bathing

Francesco Solimena is regarded as the last great Neapolitan baroque painter and pioneer of Neapolitan Rococo.

This painting captures the moment when King David (standing on the balcony to the left) first catches sight of the naked Bathsheba surrounded by her attendants and, dazzled by her beauty, falls passionately in love with her (2 Samuel 11). The play of light and shade lends vitality to the animated figures. The dulled colours of the draped fabric brighten the sombre atmosphere a little, though remaining subordinate to the overall impression. The composition reveals a spacious architectural landscape, making the scene appear like a stage-set, the theatrical element emphasised by the draped curtain cut off at the top right corner of the picture.