Bathseba bathing (_) 

Bernhard Neher the Elder drew Bathsheba bathing in red chalk. It is a study of a Biblical scene that has been the subject of debate for centuries. The Book of Samuel tells the story of King David, who saw Bathsheba bathing and lusted after her. After seducing her, he arranged for her husband to be killed in battle. The story has long been a touchstone for thinking about the politics of imagery. Is it a moralizing tale of lust and power, or an instance of blaming the victim? Neher here presents Bathsheba as an object of contemplation, but does so with some ambiguity. Made in Germany, this drawing is influenced by the artistic conventions of Italy and France. A fascination with classical antiquity and the Italian Renaissance shaped Neher’s interest in idealizing the human form. The resources available in museum archives and libraries can tell us a great deal about how an artist like Neher understood his place in the history of art. Ultimately, art history helps us understand the social forces that shape artistic production.