DOI issue:
Nr. 1
DOI article:Kobayashi-Sato, Yoriko: Hendrick Ter Brugghen's "King David Harping surrounded by four Angels"
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18904#0020
artists, who had previously cooperated on the same project, may have taken the occasion to
ask one another about their recent artistic activities when Rubens visited Utrecht in 1627. And,
although he may not actually have shown anything like a modello to them, including of course
Ter Brugghen, Rubens may have explained the composition for the David in the Eucharist
Series or the drawing by Candido he referred to 43. The fact that Ter Brugghen's David is dated
1628, one year after Rubens' visit to Utrecht, suggests a direct relationship between these two
painters. In those days, the fame of Rubens was so great that his visit in 1627 must have made
a deep impression upon the painters of Utrecht; and as the passages in Sandrart are written
avidence of the profound impression, that Rubens' visit made upon the Utrecht painters14, so
Ter Brugghen' s David can be said to be its painted documentation.
Although the works by Rubens and Ter Brugghen show such similarities as to lead us to
speculate about a direct association between the two artists, they also exhibit abvious diffe-
rences. The David portrayed by Rubens does not sing songs of praise for God from the earthly
Jerusalem. Rather, he adores the Eucharist in heaven as an embodiment of the intended purpose
of the commision itself. The person who commisioned the tapestry, the infanta Isabella, belonged
to the Habsburgs, a family who traditionally worshiped the Eucharist. Poorter offers a con-
vincing hypothesis that the iconography of the tapestry aimed to identify the Habsburgs with
David, who is known singing praise of the Eucharist45.
Ter Brugghen's composition, on the other hand, is obviously set indoors. This is also the
case in the above-mentioned drawing by D. Barendsz (Fig. 8) and painting by Nieuland (Fig. 11),
as well as in a work by R. van Zijl (1608, Centraal Museum, Utrecht, Fig. 12). Nieuland's compo-
sition (Fig. 11) is very similar to Candido's design (Fig. 10) in that a group of music-playing
heavenly figures inhabit the superior portion of the picture, but, in the sense of actuality that
the artist has created by placing David in a study-like interior, it is very close to Ter Brugghen's
painting. The work by Van Zijl (Fig. 12) is one of a set of eight organ shutter paintings commissio-
nep ni 1608 by St Jacobi Kerk in Utrecht. In this work, David is depicted as a still fairly young
man in armor46. Six of the eight paintings, including David Harping have as their motif figures
playing and singing in tune to a musical instrument. Because Ter Brugghen's three children
were all baptized at St Jacobi Kerk47, he must without doubt have noticed Van Zijl's painting.
Van Zijl was one of the eleven founders of the St Lucas guild of Utrecht in 161148. He is tthough
to have been highly esteemed in his time. But although Ter Brugghen perhaps used as a ssarting
point Rubens's composition (Fig. 9) or else Condido's (Fig. 10) on which Rubens had baed hist
composition, Ter Brugghen set the scenę indoors as in Nieuland's or Van Zijl's work, and thus
conceived an extremely realistic David (Fig. 1).
It is obvious that the subject of Ter Brugghen's work is David as Psalmist, accompanied by
angels, offering songs of praise to God. This leads us to wonder if the lion carved into the back
of the throne has any connection to this theme. No previous authors have offered any hypotheses
concerning this motif, which is unusual in a scenę of David harping.
Niederliindischcn Impcratorcn bildcr im Konigliehcn Schloss zn Berlin", Jahrbuch der Koniglichen Preussischen Kunstsamm-
lungen, 1917, p. 202—12; Catalcgue of Jagdschloss Griinewald, 1974.
43. A portrait of Ter Brugghen, an engraving by Paul Bodart after G. Hoet I, is tound in Den Spiegel van de Yerdrayde Wereld
by De Bie. Under this portrait is written the well known story that Rubens praised only one painter in the Netherland —
Ter Brugghen. However, because it is generally agreed that this tale was made up by Ter Brugghen's son Richard in his
Ietter to De Bie, we can assume no special relationship between Ter Brugghen and Rubens from this story (see, howevcr,
ahove).
44. J. von Sandrart, op. cit.. p. 157.
45. N. de Poorter, op. c/l., p. 182—83.
46. C. Hofstede de Groot,.,Eenige schilderijen van weinig bekendc Utrechtsche schilders", Oad Holland, 37, 1919, p. 111—119;
Centraal Museum Utrecht. Calatogus der Schilderijen, 1952, p. 169—170, n°. 367: 1—8.
47. M. .1. Bok and Y. Kobayashi, op. cii.,
48. S. Fz. Muller, De Utrechtsche Archieten, I. Schilderrerenigigingcn te Utrecht, Utrecht, 1880, p. 126.
14
ask one another about their recent artistic activities when Rubens visited Utrecht in 1627. And,
although he may not actually have shown anything like a modello to them, including of course
Ter Brugghen, Rubens may have explained the composition for the David in the Eucharist
Series or the drawing by Candido he referred to 43. The fact that Ter Brugghen's David is dated
1628, one year after Rubens' visit to Utrecht, suggests a direct relationship between these two
painters. In those days, the fame of Rubens was so great that his visit in 1627 must have made
a deep impression upon the painters of Utrecht; and as the passages in Sandrart are written
avidence of the profound impression, that Rubens' visit made upon the Utrecht painters14, so
Ter Brugghen' s David can be said to be its painted documentation.
Although the works by Rubens and Ter Brugghen show such similarities as to lead us to
speculate about a direct association between the two artists, they also exhibit abvious diffe-
rences. The David portrayed by Rubens does not sing songs of praise for God from the earthly
Jerusalem. Rather, he adores the Eucharist in heaven as an embodiment of the intended purpose
of the commision itself. The person who commisioned the tapestry, the infanta Isabella, belonged
to the Habsburgs, a family who traditionally worshiped the Eucharist. Poorter offers a con-
vincing hypothesis that the iconography of the tapestry aimed to identify the Habsburgs with
David, who is known singing praise of the Eucharist45.
Ter Brugghen's composition, on the other hand, is obviously set indoors. This is also the
case in the above-mentioned drawing by D. Barendsz (Fig. 8) and painting by Nieuland (Fig. 11),
as well as in a work by R. van Zijl (1608, Centraal Museum, Utrecht, Fig. 12). Nieuland's compo-
sition (Fig. 11) is very similar to Candido's design (Fig. 10) in that a group of music-playing
heavenly figures inhabit the superior portion of the picture, but, in the sense of actuality that
the artist has created by placing David in a study-like interior, it is very close to Ter Brugghen's
painting. The work by Van Zijl (Fig. 12) is one of a set of eight organ shutter paintings commissio-
nep ni 1608 by St Jacobi Kerk in Utrecht. In this work, David is depicted as a still fairly young
man in armor46. Six of the eight paintings, including David Harping have as their motif figures
playing and singing in tune to a musical instrument. Because Ter Brugghen's three children
were all baptized at St Jacobi Kerk47, he must without doubt have noticed Van Zijl's painting.
Van Zijl was one of the eleven founders of the St Lucas guild of Utrecht in 161148. He is tthough
to have been highly esteemed in his time. But although Ter Brugghen perhaps used as a ssarting
point Rubens's composition (Fig. 9) or else Condido's (Fig. 10) on which Rubens had baed hist
composition, Ter Brugghen set the scenę indoors as in Nieuland's or Van Zijl's work, and thus
conceived an extremely realistic David (Fig. 1).
It is obvious that the subject of Ter Brugghen's work is David as Psalmist, accompanied by
angels, offering songs of praise to God. This leads us to wonder if the lion carved into the back
of the throne has any connection to this theme. No previous authors have offered any hypotheses
concerning this motif, which is unusual in a scenę of David harping.
Niederliindischcn Impcratorcn bildcr im Konigliehcn Schloss zn Berlin", Jahrbuch der Koniglichen Preussischen Kunstsamm-
lungen, 1917, p. 202—12; Catalcgue of Jagdschloss Griinewald, 1974.
43. A portrait of Ter Brugghen, an engraving by Paul Bodart after G. Hoet I, is tound in Den Spiegel van de Yerdrayde Wereld
by De Bie. Under this portrait is written the well known story that Rubens praised only one painter in the Netherland —
Ter Brugghen. However, because it is generally agreed that this tale was made up by Ter Brugghen's son Richard in his
Ietter to De Bie, we can assume no special relationship between Ter Brugghen and Rubens from this story (see, howevcr,
ahove).
44. J. von Sandrart, op. cit.. p. 157.
45. N. de Poorter, op. c/l., p. 182—83.
46. C. Hofstede de Groot,.,Eenige schilderijen van weinig bekendc Utrechtsche schilders", Oad Holland, 37, 1919, p. 111—119;
Centraal Museum Utrecht. Calatogus der Schilderijen, 1952, p. 169—170, n°. 367: 1—8.
47. M. .1. Bok and Y. Kobayashi, op. cii.,
48. S. Fz. Muller, De Utrechtsche Archieten, I. Schilderrerenigigingcn te Utrecht, Utrecht, 1880, p. 126.
14