David and Avigayil in Art/0

David and Avigayil in Art

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Introduction

The story of David and Avigail, described in Shemul I 25, has all the elements of a great story: drama, suspense, romance, victory of good over evil and a happy ending. The three 17th century Baroque paintings shown here all illustrate the meeting, but each focuses on a different phase of the story.  The Flemish artist, Simon de Vos (1603-1676),¹ depicts the initial encounter, when David is still full of wrath (25:18-25).  His compatriot, Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), focuses on the second phase of the story, Avigayil's attempts to diffuse David's anger (25:26-35), while Italian artist Guido Reni (1575-1642) portrays what appears to be the final phase of the encounter (25:32-35 or 42).

The Biblical Text

David hears that Naval, a very wealthy sheep herder, is celebrating the annual sheep-shearing festival in Carmel. He instructs ten of his men to graciously appraise Navel, on his behalf, of the protective help that his men had given to his shepherds, hinting that he desires a tangible expression of his appreciation. Not only does Navel refuse to given them anything, but he impugns the authority of David whom he insinuates is a mere brigand with no right to Navel’s hard earned profits. When David receives his men’s report, he is furious and orders 400 of his men to gird their swords and accompany him to kill Navel and his entire household.

Hearing from one of the servants all that has taken place, Avigayil, Naval’s wife, quickly acts to avert the looming disaster and prepares lavish and abundant amounts of food to be sent ahead of her appearance. When David and Avigayil suddenly meet up, she throws herself at his feet and names herself as responsible for the offense committed. In a long speech of 8 verses, Avigayil displays psychological insight and alludes to prophecies associated with David, as she succeeds in diffusing his anger, but also kindles his personal interest in herself. Meanwhile, Navel, drunk from all the merriment, is not aware of all that has transpired until Avigail informs him the following day. The news causes Naval to suffer a paralytic attack, and he dies 11 days later. Upon hearing that Naval has died, David sends for Avigayil to be his wife, an offer that she quickly and humbly consents to.

Contrasting Images

Simon de Vos

De Vos pays much attention to the scene's setting, choosing a landscape and atmospheric effects that capture the drama of the narrative. The dark threatening sky contributes to a sense of an approaching danger, with a high wind that causes the military banners to wave and David’s red cape to billow in the wind. One might identify the hills dotted with houses, in the center-right of the canvas, with Navel’s properties in Carmel. The artist has filled the entire canvas with other painterly elements, such as color contrasts, movement, studies in human anatomy and a selection of animals and piles of food that cover the foreground. However, for de Vos, it is Avigail’s display of humility that takes center stage as she confronts a mounted and armed David, at a moment of heightened danger. After dismounting from her donkey, Avigail, dressed in white, falls to the ground and prostrates before David, with one hand on the ground, the other in a gesture of supplication, while her maid-servants look towards the light for salvation.

Rubens

Rubens provides less background than de Vos. On the left of the canvas, he paints a forested area from where Avigayil and her entourage of three female and three male servants emerge. Gifts of breads in baskets are carried and placed on the ground. On the right side of the canvas are positioned seven, well armed soldiers, two of whom are on horses. Two young arms-bearers stand beside them, one carrying David’s helmet, the other holding the reins of his horse. Rubens' figures, like those of de Vos, are presented in motion, dramatic in their facial expressions, and rich in the color and texture of their wardrobes. 

In contrast to de Vos, though, Rubens chooses to portray the dramatic moment when a calmer David realizes the justice of Avigayil’s plea.  He even presents David as offering his hand to help the kneeling Avigayil up from the ground. His Avigayil is animated in conversation while pointing to the gifts. The surrounding figures are rapt in attention as they witness Avigayil’s successful effort to deflect David’s anger and put an end to the crisis.

Guido Reni

In the third painting, Reni is not distracted by landscapes, atmospheric affects, multiple figures, or a parade of gifts. The focus of this close-up of David and Avigayil is, instead, the moment of David’s recognition of Avigayil’s wisdom and beauty and his gratitude for her action. The figures are treated in a classical idealized style, rich in color, and with a calm that pervades the painting. Avigayil shows humility in the downward cast of her eyes and modesty in the grasp of her cloak. However, t she is simultaneously presented as sitting on her donkey, higher than David. The artist takes this liberty as an expression of David’s looking up to and admiration for Avigayil. Reni presents David in a much less militaristic manner than the other artists. David wears no helmet and the appearance of his armor is subdued. The menacing faces behind David seem to fade out, while the faces of the maid-servants are bright, indicating that the danger is over. David’s hands are on his hips and his face show an expression of wonderment. There is an outside light that illuminates the couple, towards which some of the figures are looking.

Relationship to the Biblical Text

Urgency and Secrecy

The mood that pervades the story is one of tension and pressure. Once Naval refuses David's request, action follows at a furious pace. David hurries to marshal his men, the servants hurry to inform Avigayil, and she, in turn, hurries to prepare her gifts and intercept David . Three times and in close proximity, the text uses the root "חגר... חרב" to highlight David's intentions,² while, in tandem, three times the text employs the the root "מהר" to describe Avigayil's reaction.³ This urgent, tense mood is reflected in de Vos’ painting in the foreboding clouds and gusty winds.

Both de Vos and Rubens also hint to the fact that Avigayil’s mission is a covert one.⁴ De Vos has Avigayil descend from a cloud-covered hill while Rubens has her appear out of a dense forest. This might reflect two possible interpretations of the somewhat unusual phrase, "וְהָיָה הִיא רֹכֶבֶת עַל הַחֲמוֹר וְיֹרֶדֶת בְּסֵתֶר הָהָר". De Vos suggests that the phrase means part of the mountain which is hidden from view, while Rubens might follows those commentators who asserts that it refers to a hidden area between two mountains.⁵

Handmaids

In the text there is no evidence that Avigayil went to intercept David accompanied by her handmaids,⁶ yet de Vos and Rubens both insert them into their work. It is possible that this is simply the artists' way of expressing Avigayil’s economic and social status, as it would seem to be contrary to Avigayil’s objective to present herself as David's equal.  On the other hand, perhaps Avigayil though David would be more hesitant to act aggressively in the presence of so many women.

Humility

In accordance with the text, all three artists depict a humble Avigayil who demonstrates her subordination before David. This is reflected in how they render her body language and hand gestures after she dismounts her donkey and falls  to her knees.⁷  In addition to these actions and  body language, the text has Avigayil demonstratesher humility, respect  and  fear in her choice of words. Fourteen times in this chapter, Avigayil addresses David  as “my master”( 14 times), while referring  to herself  as “maid-servant/servant” (6 times).⁸ 

Wise and Beautiful

Rubens depicts an attractive woman, but  might imply that it is her wisdom which ultimately persuades David. He highlights her animatedly making her case in an attempt to save herself and her household from David’s wrath and sword, and to save David from his quick tempered-self. David is appeased by the gifts and persuaded by her arguments, as he offers his hand to help Avigayil up, and bless her.⁹ Reni’s close up of Avigayil highlights Avigayil's beauty even more, perhaps hinting that it was this more than her wisdom which convinced David.¹⁰  He paints a beautiful portrait of her in a classical, delicate style, as she sits on her donkey, facing from atop a David who adopts a posture of wonder at the beautiful and wise Avigayil.

The Prophetess

Chazal list Abigail as one of the 7 prophetess[1]. This is reflected in her hint of a future Davidic dynasty: "כי עשה יעשה ה' אדני בית נאמן."  In both de Vos’ and Reni’s work there seems to be a mysterious light towards which some of the figures are looking  intently. They might be looking  in search for  a salvation or  perhaps, in acknowledgement of a providential intervention.

A Standing Army?

Both de Vos and Rubens depict a David who leads an impressive  army of soldiers-complete in Roman-like gear, who are well- equipped, with banners, ensigns, and  horses at their disposal. This is not in keeping with the  text’s description of David’s followers  as a rag-tag band of men. Probably, the artists are using the opportunity to display their  painterly expertise in depicting shiny metal armor and drapped textiles,  and the anatomy of the horse.  Perhaps taking a cue from Avigayil’s prophetic words, or inspired by David’s private anointment  by Samuel[2], the artists are projecting their image of the future King David who  he will  command  a standing army!

¹ Simon de Vos painted three versions of this narrative. Version I was painted in 1641, version II was painted in 1641 and version III was painted in 1655.  The image shown here is the earliest version.

² See verse 13, "וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לַאֲנָשָׁיו חִגְרוּ אִישׁ אֶת חַרְבּוֹ וַיַּחְגְּרוּ אִישׁ אֶת חַרְבּוֹ וַיַּחְגֹּר גַּם דָּוִד אֶת חַרְבּוֹ".

³ See verses 18, 23, and 34.

⁴ See verse 19, "וּלְאִישָׁהּ נָבָל לֹא הִגִּידָה" and later in verse 36: "וְלֹא הִגִּידָה לּוֹ דָּבָר קָטֹן וְגָדוֹל עַד אוֹר הַבֹּקֶר".

⁵ See R. Yeshayah of Trani who explains that "בְּסֵתֶר הָהָר" refers to the valley between two mountains which cannot be seen.

⁶ The verses mention only male servants heading to David: "וַתֹּאמֶר לִנְעָרֶיהָ עִבְרוּ לְפָנַי".  It is only when David takes Avigayil as a wife that her handmaids are mentioned as well.

⁷ This faithfully reflects verse 23: "וַתֵּרֶד מֵעַל הַחֲמוֹר וַתִּפֹּל לְאַפֵּי דָוִד עַל פָּנֶיהָ וַתִּשְׁתַּחוּ אָרֶץ".

⁸ See verses 24, 25, 27, 28, 30 and 31,

⁹ See David's words in verses 32 and 33: "בָּרוּךְ י״י אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר שְׁלָחֵךְ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לִקְרָאתִי וּבָרוּךְ טַעְמֵךְ וּבְרוּכָה אָתְּ."

¹⁰ See Bavli Megilla 14b who goes further to suggest that Avigayil actively attempted to entice David, who, in turn, lusted after her beauty: "מלמד שגילתה את שוקה והלך לאורה ג׳ פרסאות".