Repentance and art

With it dark as pitch, a white-haired old man plays the harp. The legacies of his years survived are his white hair and beard as well as wrinkled forehead and hands – full of grace and dignity. With a blank stare in his eyes, he looks aloof and distant from the world that everyone else lives in. Guess who this old man plays the harp in the dark and why he does.

This painting is titled “King David Playing the Harp,” drawn by Peter Paul Rubens. The Bible describes David as a shepherd. This well-performing man became a royal musician for King Saul. Afterward, he was widely recognized as a hero who saved Israel after throwing a stone that caused Goliath, a Palestinian giant, to fall to the ground. Weathering many adversities and risks, he succeeded King Saul, serving as the second king of Israel for 40 years and contributing to the kingdom’s golden days. His life, full of ups and downs, was later one of the most oft-talked-about themes in art. Many artists were attracted to young, gorgeous David fighting and achieving victory. However, Rubens decided to depict the figure as an old musician engrossed in his performance rather than as an attractive, young, and powerful leader. Given that David in the painting does not wear a throne, the artist presumably drew him nearing death after handing over the country to his son Solomon.

David was a religious man but not always pure and innocent. After David slept with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his loyal vassals, he hatched a plot to take her and kill her husband. His wrongdoings later caused him to lose a young son and watch princes revolt and lose their lives. With all the burden of power gotten off of his shoulders, this 70-year-old man peacefully worships God with the harp in his hands. He may be devoting one of the greatest harp melodies he could play to God while reflecting on his past mistakes and asking for forgiveness.

Rubens was one of the most successful artists in Antwerp, enjoying a noble life. Deeply religious, he might have painted the old David while saying that fame and wealth never last forever and only repentance and artistic beauty can salvage our souls.