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David--the greatest king of Israel, the founder of Jerusalem, and one of the pivotal figures of the Old Testament--was a rich source of inspiration for artists and their patrons throughout the medieval world. Regarded as a direct ancestor of Jesus, the "sweet psalmist of Israel" appears in countless works of art, from the Dura Europus paintings to the many illuminated psalters of the later medieval period. These depictions of David are as varied as they are numerous. He appears, among other roles, as musician, author, warrior, lover, shepherd, politician, worshipper, father, king, refugee, and mourner. This volume is the first comprehensive survey of the vast profusion of David images in both Byzantium and the West, providing an authoritative guide to the entire range of medieval depictions. With over 5,000 entries organized into more than 240 recognizable episodes from his richly illustrated life, the catalogue includes all of the David entries in the Index of Christian Art's card files and database.The objects catalogued here range in date from the third to the fifteenth century, and represent fourteen different media, including frescoes, ivories, manuscripts, stained glass, sculpture, mosaics, and textiles. Each entry gives detailed information on the object's current location, date, and primary subject. The catalogue is enhanced by over a hundred photographs illustrating a wide range of episodes from David's life. An index allows the reader to browse the medieval world geographically for images of David still in situ, and the modern world for objects in museums, libraries, and other collections. The volume also includes an extensive bibliography on David in Early Christian, Byzantine, and Western medieval art.
List of contents
Acknowledgments ix
List of Illustrations xi
Introduction xix
CATALOGUE OF KING DAVID IN THE INDEX OF CHRISTIAN ART
Introduction to the Catalogue 3
List of King David Scenes in the Catalogue 5
Abbreviations 11
David: Scenes (Accepted by Saul-Worth) 13
David: Unidentified Scenes 280
David: Portraits 294
Horseman: David 379
Orant: David 382
Soldier: David 384
David and Jonathan 387
David and Musicians 391
David and Scribes 402
David and Solomon 403
Selected Bibliography 405
Index of Catalogued Objects 415
About the author
Colum Hourihane is director of the Index of Christian Art, Princeton University.
Summary
David - the greatest king of Israel, the founder of Jerusalem, and one of the pivotal figures of the Old Testament - was a source of inspiration for artists and their patrons throughout the medieval world. This book is a survey of the profusion of David's images in both Byzantium and the West, providing a guide to a range of medieval depictions.
