David jouant de la harpe

Gabriel François Doyen’s painting portrays King David seated to the right, crown and regal robe, as he plucks a large harp with a contemplative gaze. A youthful figure stands to the left by a fluted column, while a landscape with distant ruins unfolds in the background, giving depth to the ceremonial scene. The palette relies on warm earth tones—ochres, pinks, browns—modeled with soft light and restrained chiaroscuro, characteristic of late Baroque French academic painting.