Manuscript Leaf with King David in an Initial I, from a Psalter

North Italian

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 306

This intensely colored illumination, by an unknown artist for an unknown commission, is a singularly beautiful evocation of David as author of the 150 psalms. Quill in hand, he cocks his head to listen to the voice of God, whose face appears in the clouds. The image serves as a counterpoint to the text, in which David implores: "Incline thy ear, O Lord, and hear me."

Manuscript Leaf with King David in an Initial I, from a Psalter, Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment, North Italian

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Manuscript Leaf with King David in an Initial I, from a Psalter, Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment, North Italian
Manuscript Leaf with King David in an Initial I, from a Psalter, Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment, North Italian
Manuscript Leaf with King David in an Initial I, from a Psalter, Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment, North Italian

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.