David Playing the Harp before Saul (c. 1508): Art, History and Details

David Playing the Harp before Saul (c. 1508) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Lucas van Leyden (Netherlandish, 1494–about 1533).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

A skillful player of the harp, David was summoned to the court of King Saul in order to console the king who was often tormented by melancholy. Lucas van Leyden masterfully captured the despair of the king who sits uncomfortably upon his throne, his right foot angled convulsively over the left one, his gaze a blank stare. While playing, David looks calmly upon the ruler, as if to convey his confidence that music will provide the necessary balm to soothe the king’s soul.

Object facts

• Title: David Playing the Harp before Saul
• Date: c. 1508
• Creator attribution: Lucas van Leyden (Netherlandish, 1494–about 1533)
• Culture: Netherlands, 16th century
• Type: Print
• Technique: engraving
• Collection: PR - Engraving
• Department: Prints
• Accession number: 1923.774

Collection credit

Gift of Ralph King

Further reading listed by the museum

• Francis, Henry. "Recent Print Accessions by Lucas Van Leyden." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 22, no. 9 (November 1935): 142-145

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.