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DOI Artikel:Kobayashi-Sato, Yoriko: Hendrick Ter Brugghen's "King David Harping surrounded by four Angels"
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18904#0019
the harp surrounded by singing angels, we cannot fail to notice the similarities with represen-
tation of David harping araong the tapestries known as the Eucharist SeTies (Convent of Descal-
zas Reales, Madrid). The design of his tapestry is by Rubens. When the modello by Rubens
(Bames Foundation, Merion, Fig. 9) and the David by Ter Brugghen (Fig. 1) are compared, we
find that although the compositions are reversed (in the completed tapestry, however, they
would have the same orientation), both works depict full-Ienght figures, with David at the center
close to the picture piane, wearing an extravagant robe andplaying a harp held between his knees,
and singing angels at either side. Disregarding details, the main points of the compositions are
almost identical. Poorter surmises that these similarities are due to the fact that Ter Brugghen
and Rubens were inspired by the same work of art. However, she does not suggest any speeific
candidates.
An earlier example of a composition that positions angels around a harping David can be
seen in the lower half of Hymn of Praise of King David and St. Cecilia by Candido. This compo-
sition, which is matched with the text of Psalm 148: 12—1336, is known from the engraving by
Jan Sadeler (Fig. 10). As Poorter indicates, it is elear from his drawing, presently in the collection
of the Louvre that Rubens had seen this engraving37. In Candido's work, the angels dance
around David instead of singing to the harp. However, it is possible that the work suggested
by Poorter to have been mutually referred to by Rubens and Ter Brugghen had a similar compo-
sition.
In contrast to this, we may also hypothesize that there was a direct relationship between
Rubens and Ter Brugghen. On May 29, 1627, Rubens set out to visitThe Hague as a diplomatic
emissary. On the way, probably in the evening of June 27, he stopped in Utrecht. His lodgings
there were at the inn called Het Kasteel van Antwerp, which was for Ter Brugghen the estab-
lishment managed by his brother as well as the home of his wife's mother. Furthermore, it was
also at this Kasteel van Antwerp, which faced into the Oude Gracht, that the artists of Utrecht
held a banquet for their illustrious foreign visitor38. Sandrart wrote that Rubens met with
Honthorst, Poelenburg, Bloemaert, and other artists in Utrecht. Although he did not mention
Ter Brugghen in particular39, Ter Brugghen must naturally have had the opportunity to attend
this banąuet sińce Rubens was staying at the home of his brother, with whom he was extremely
close40. At that time the talk may have turncd to the Eucharist Series, for which Rubens had
recently completed or was composing the cartoons41. The interest of the Utrecht painter in
Rubens and his works can be traced back before 1620. Besides, Ter Brugghen, Bloemaert,
Honthorst, and Baburen (who had died in 1624) had, before 1622, participated with Rubens in
the production of a series of paintings of the twelve Roman emperors (Jagdschloss Griinewald,
Berlin) believed to have been commissioned by Frederick Hendrick. The series itself was f inished
in 1625 with completion of Vespasianus by Miereveld12. It is therefore conceivablc that these
36. ,Both young men, and maidens; old men, and chjldren: Let them praise the namc of the Lord: for his name alone is
excellent; his glory is above the earth and hcaven".
37. Rubens, King David Playing the Harp and I\lusicinaking Angels, Louvre, Paris.
38. See J. G. van Gelder, ,Rubens in Holland in de zcventiende eeuw", Nederlandsch Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, 3, 1950—51,
p. 103—150, and P.T.A.Swillens, „Rubens' Bezoek aan Utrecht", Jaarboekje van Oud Utrecht, 1945—46, p. 105—125
regarding Rubens' visit to Utrecht
39. J. von Sandrart, Teutschc Academie der Edlcn Hau-, Bild-, und Mahlcrey-Kiinste..., II, Nuremburg, 1675 (ed. A. R. Peltzer.
Munich, 1925), p. 157.
40. M. J. Bok and Y. Kobayashi, op. cii., p. 9—12.
41. While Poorter dates the design for the Eucharist Series around 1626, see N. de Poorter, op. cit.; J. Held dates it around
1627—28 in J. Held, The Oil Sketches of Peter Paul Rubens, I—II, 1980.
42. B. Nicolson, Hendrick Terbrugghen, op. cit., A 9, Emperor Claudius, 1621 (?). Concerning this se_ies see Oldenbourg, ,,Die
13-
tation of David harping araong the tapestries known as the Eucharist SeTies (Convent of Descal-
zas Reales, Madrid). The design of his tapestry is by Rubens. When the modello by Rubens
(Bames Foundation, Merion, Fig. 9) and the David by Ter Brugghen (Fig. 1) are compared, we
find that although the compositions are reversed (in the completed tapestry, however, they
would have the same orientation), both works depict full-Ienght figures, with David at the center
close to the picture piane, wearing an extravagant robe andplaying a harp held between his knees,
and singing angels at either side. Disregarding details, the main points of the compositions are
almost identical. Poorter surmises that these similarities are due to the fact that Ter Brugghen
and Rubens were inspired by the same work of art. However, she does not suggest any speeific
candidates.
An earlier example of a composition that positions angels around a harping David can be
seen in the lower half of Hymn of Praise of King David and St. Cecilia by Candido. This compo-
sition, which is matched with the text of Psalm 148: 12—1336, is known from the engraving by
Jan Sadeler (Fig. 10). As Poorter indicates, it is elear from his drawing, presently in the collection
of the Louvre that Rubens had seen this engraving37. In Candido's work, the angels dance
around David instead of singing to the harp. However, it is possible that the work suggested
by Poorter to have been mutually referred to by Rubens and Ter Brugghen had a similar compo-
sition.
In contrast to this, we may also hypothesize that there was a direct relationship between
Rubens and Ter Brugghen. On May 29, 1627, Rubens set out to visitThe Hague as a diplomatic
emissary. On the way, probably in the evening of June 27, he stopped in Utrecht. His lodgings
there were at the inn called Het Kasteel van Antwerp, which was for Ter Brugghen the estab-
lishment managed by his brother as well as the home of his wife's mother. Furthermore, it was
also at this Kasteel van Antwerp, which faced into the Oude Gracht, that the artists of Utrecht
held a banquet for their illustrious foreign visitor38. Sandrart wrote that Rubens met with
Honthorst, Poelenburg, Bloemaert, and other artists in Utrecht. Although he did not mention
Ter Brugghen in particular39, Ter Brugghen must naturally have had the opportunity to attend
this banąuet sińce Rubens was staying at the home of his brother, with whom he was extremely
close40. At that time the talk may have turncd to the Eucharist Series, for which Rubens had
recently completed or was composing the cartoons41. The interest of the Utrecht painter in
Rubens and his works can be traced back before 1620. Besides, Ter Brugghen, Bloemaert,
Honthorst, and Baburen (who had died in 1624) had, before 1622, participated with Rubens in
the production of a series of paintings of the twelve Roman emperors (Jagdschloss Griinewald,
Berlin) believed to have been commissioned by Frederick Hendrick. The series itself was f inished
in 1625 with completion of Vespasianus by Miereveld12. It is therefore conceivablc that these
36. ,Both young men, and maidens; old men, and chjldren: Let them praise the namc of the Lord: for his name alone is
excellent; his glory is above the earth and hcaven".
37. Rubens, King David Playing the Harp and I\lusicinaking Angels, Louvre, Paris.
38. See J. G. van Gelder, ,Rubens in Holland in de zcventiende eeuw", Nederlandsch Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, 3, 1950—51,
p. 103—150, and P.T.A.Swillens, „Rubens' Bezoek aan Utrecht", Jaarboekje van Oud Utrecht, 1945—46, p. 105—125
regarding Rubens' visit to Utrecht
39. J. von Sandrart, Teutschc Academie der Edlcn Hau-, Bild-, und Mahlcrey-Kiinste..., II, Nuremburg, 1675 (ed. A. R. Peltzer.
Munich, 1925), p. 157.
40. M. J. Bok and Y. Kobayashi, op. cii., p. 9—12.
41. While Poorter dates the design for the Eucharist Series around 1626, see N. de Poorter, op. cit.; J. Held dates it around
1627—28 in J. Held, The Oil Sketches of Peter Paul Rubens, I—II, 1980.
42. B. Nicolson, Hendrick Terbrugghen, op. cit., A 9, Emperor Claudius, 1621 (?). Concerning this se_ies see Oldenbourg, ,,Die
13-