Scuola Italo-Fiamminga (XVII) - David e Abigail

ITALO-FLEMISH PAINTER OF THE 17th CENTURY
(Active in Rome in the second half of the 1600s)
David and Abigail
Oil on canvas, 62.4 x 82.4 cm
With frame size, 73 x 93 x 5 cm approx.

NOTE: Publication catalog of Intermidiart collection works. Certificate of Guarantee and Legitimate Provenance. Work with gilded frame (defects):

We present in the catalog an interesting oil on canvas painting of good painterly quality portraying the biblical episode of the meeting between David and Abigail, drawn from the First Book of Samuel (1 Samuel 25).
The scene shows the moment when Abigail, a wise and virtuous woman, kneels before the future king David — depicted in classic ancient armor and accompanied by a dog and his soldiers — to offer him gifts and provisions, appeasing his anger and thus saving her family from the vengeance provoked by the folly of her husband Nabal.
The composition, organized in several groups of figures and developed in a balanced middle format, presents a dynamic and well-orchestrated scenic construction. On the left the figure of David stands out, portrayed in armor beside the faithful dog, while the narrative fulcrum of the work is the group placed lower right, where Abigail, kneeling at the center of the scene, mediates the tension of the tale with an eloquent and theatrical gesture.
The painting, remembered as a Flemish Baroque painter, attributed to Abraham Willlemsen or Willemsens (Antwerp, 1614 - 1672) from the provenance collection, can be referred—prudently—to the hand of a capable Northern European-born painter with an evident connection to the Roman school of the late Seicento, whose style is recognizable in the works of Pietro da Cortona’s circle (Cortona, 1596 – Rome, 1669).
The composition, animated by an intense sense of movement, a vibrant luminosity, and the use of a palette of pure and brilliant colors, seems to situate itself in a late phase of the master’s activity or his circle, when the influences of Pietro da Cortona’s Roman painting are evident.
Regarding its state of conservation, the canvas presents generally discrete conditions considering the painting’s age; the surface shows a patinated varnish. In ultraviolet light, some scattered restorations are visible. The painting may have undergone past relining with replacement of the frame. The canvas measures 62.4 x 82.4 cm. The painting is enhanced by a beautiful gilded frame, of striking effect (frame size 73 x 93 x 5 cm approx., presence of defects).
"The frame shown in the photos above has been added to the artwork by the seller or by a third party. The frame is provided at no additional cost so that it is ready to display upon arrival. The frame is included as a courtesy and is not considered an integral part of the artwork. Therefore, any potential damage to the frame that does not affect the artwork itself will not be accepted as a valid reason to open a claim or request order cancellation."

PROVENANCE: Private Collection

PUBLICATION:
- Unpublished;
- I MITI E IL TERRITORIO nella Sicilia dalle mille culture. UNPUBLISHED QUADRERIA general catalog of the paintings from the cycle “I Miti e il territorio,” Editor Lab_04, Marsala, 2026 (Pdf).

In the case of sale outside Italian territory, the buyer must await the processing times for export procedures.