David Sees Bathsheba and Nathan Rebukes David, Pieter Mortier, circa 1700

This original copperplate engraving from Pieter Mortier's illustrated Bible, Amsterdam circa 1700, shows two biblical scenes on one sheet: 2 Samuel 11:2, David on the roof sees Bathsheba, and 2 Samuel 12:1, David rebuked by Nathan repents. The upper scene illustrates 2 Samuel chapter 11, verse 2, where King David, walking on the roof of his palace, sees Bathsheba bathing. Bathsheba sits beside a fountain in a formal garden with cypress trees while her maid attends her, and David's palace terrace rises behind.

The lower scene shows 2 Samuel chapter 12, where the prophet Nathan rebukes David with the parable of the rich man and the poor man's lamb, and David repents. The king bows his head at a prayer desk beside his harp while Nathan stands in the doorway pointing heavenward. Each scene carries its own engraved caption with the scripture reference in Dutch and French, and the sheet is numbered 89 in the lower margin.

The engraving comes from the Bible published by Pieter Mortier in Amsterdam circa 1700, a work in which Dutch Baroque book illustration reached a grand scale. Designs by artists such as Gerard Hoet, Arnold Houbraken and Bernard Picart were cut in copper by a team of Amsterdam engravers, and the paired scenes were printed on large sheets of laid paper. This sheet is signed in the lower margin by Ottmar Elliger as designer, with the engraving signed by Andreas Reinhard. The sheet is printed on laid paper with full margins, and the reverse is blank.

Framed with a wide mount, the sheet makes a strong statement in a study, a parish office or a library, and it hangs well alongside other Dutch biblical engravings of the period. It is also an accessible entry point for collectors interested in the story of Saul and David.

The sheet is in good condition for its age, with light toning and some creasing and small chips at the right edge of the margins; the image is clean and strong.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.