Statue, Koning David - 33 cm - Clay

Impressive and expressively shaped sculpture of King David, executed in unglazed clay. The biblical monarch is depicted seated, with a strongly featured face, a long beard, and a contemplative, upward-looking gaze. In his hands he holds a harp, the traditional attribute of David as a poet and psalmist.

The sculpture is characterized by lively, sketchy modelling. The folds of the cloak are loosely and dynamically worked, with clearly visible finger and modelling traces. This gives the work a strong artistic expressiveness and an authentic studio character.

Due to the rough finish, visible sculpting traces, and the absence of polychromy or patination, this piece has the character of a modello or study for a larger sculpture to be executed in stone or bronze. Such models were used by sculptors to fix composition, stance, and expression before the final monumental work was realized.

It is also possible that the work was intended as an autonomous expressive artwork, where the unfinished structure is a deliberate artistic choice.

Dating
Based on style and execution, the statue appears to date from the 20th century, presumably the mid-20th century (circa 1930–1970). The expressive modelling shows influences of modernism and religious atelier art from that period.