«Lament to the Sound of Harp». Penitent David’s Image in Valencian Baroque Painting

Abstract

This article looks into two canvases of Pablo Pontons and Vicente Guillo? to study king David’s image, particularly the iconogra- phic type of Penitent David. Originally, these representations were formulated in medieval miniatures that symbolized his role of psalmist and founder of sacred music. This typology was inspired in episodes of his life that turned into models of penance. The work studies the cultural tradition of David’s gure, his musical leadership and the continuity of the penitent king type in the baroque, in engravings and in visual pro- grams such as the Pontons’ and Guillo?’s ones for Morella and Alcala? de Xivert, respectively. This didactic use ofart allows to connect visual manifestations to sacred literature.