David Hearing the News of Uriah’s Death

David Hearing the News of Uriah’s Death by Rembrandt van Rijn, dating from approximately 1650, is a compelling drawing executed on paper using a combination of deck paint and ink. This work exemplifies the narrative strength found in the art of the Dutch Golden Age, reflecting the artist’s preference for dramatizing complex psychological and moral moments derived from Biblical texts. Produced in the Netherlands, this drawing provides immediate insight into Rijn’s unique process, where he captured intense human emotion and dramatic lighting through economical and powerful lines, distinguishing it from his more formal finished etchings or oil paintings.

The composition focuses intensely on King David, slumped in contemplation or perhaps shock, as he receives the message confirming the death of Uriah the Hittite—a death David orchestrated to conceal his affair with Bathsheba. Rijn masterfully uses the contrast inherent in the ink and deck paint medium to suggest volume and atmosphere, achieving a sense of immediacy often lacking in more formalized studies. This technique, combining fluid, active lines with the heavier texture of the deck paint, gives the figure significant dimensionality.

This piece is held in the prestigious drawing collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it serves as a vital record of the artist's evolving graphic style during the middle of the 17th century. The preservation of such drawings allows modern scholarship to study the preparatory stages and aesthetic priorities of Rijn. Given the age and historical significance of the piece, high-quality images and art prints are widely accessible through institutional archives, ensuring this masterwork remains available within the public domain for ongoing study and appreciation.