King David and a boy

This 1485 depiction of King David with a boy likely formed part of a larger ensemble, perhaps an altarpiece wing or a series of Old Testament figures. David, as both king and psalmist, was a central figure in medieval typological programs, prefiguring Christ as both sovereign and worshipper Hans Memling brought serene, refined beauty to Flemish devotional painting, becoming the leading artist in Bruges after the death of van der Weyden Oil on canvas, increasingly preferred over panel in the six

The painting demonstrates Memling's accomplished rendering of rich royal garments and the differentiated characterization of the aged king and young attendant.