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Ahimelech Giving the Sword of Goliath to David (Framed)

Aert de Gelder

The J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States

The painting's subject comes from the Old Testament: the first book of Samuel, which describes the turning point in David's relationship with King Saul. The priest Ahimelech gives the sword of Goliath to the young David, who won it in battle. When King Saul learned that this symbol of power had been given to David, he had Ahimelech murdered.

The sleeve and headdress of the priest Ahimelech reveal scratches and uneven working of the pigment so it catches the light in vivid contrasting highlights. Aert de Gelder made these scratches with a paint knife or the end of a brush, which he often used to highlight the paint surface. De Gelder was a pupil of Rembrandt, and the influence of Rembrandt's late style is evident in his choice of half-length, life-size figures, muted colors, and expressive brushstrokes.

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  • Title: Ahimelech Giving the Sword of Goliath to David (Framed)
  • Creator: Aert de Gelder
  • Date Created: about 1680s
  • Physical Dimensions: 91.8 × 132.4 cm (36 1/8 × 52 1/8 in.)
  • Type: Painting
  • External Link: Find out more about this object on the Museum website.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Terms of Use: Open Content
  • Number: 78.PA.219
  • Culture: Dutch
  • Credit Line: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
  • Creator Display Name: Aert de Gelder (Dutch, 1645 - 1727)
  • Classification: Paintings (Visual Works)
The J. Paul Getty Museum

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