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David: "Oh, that I had wings like a Dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest." Psalm 55:6
About the Artwork
From the many events in the turbulent life of the biblical King David, Leighton chose to depict his moment of gravest doubt. Having just learned of the death of his rebellious son Absalom at the hands of his own army, David has withdrawn to a chamber above the city gate. Casting aside his crown, which lies on the floor, the ruler muses on the conflicting demands of family and nation.
Provenance
Possibly Henry Graves & Co., London sale, Christie's, 7 March 1868. James Leathart by 1884, London sale, Christie's, 19 June 1897 (lot 39), 130 gns. to Colnaghi. Different Properties, London sale, Christie's, 21 July 1919 (lot 121), £50.80 to Sampson. Peter Nahum, London. Purchased by the CMA in 1986.
Exhibition history
Year in Review for 1986. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 4-March 15, 1987). Frederic Leighton 1830-1896 (Frederic, Lord Leighton). Royal Academy of Arts (organizer) (February 15-April 21, 1996). Artist as Narrator: Nineteenth Century Narrative Art in England and France. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklahoma City, OK (organizer) (September 8-November 27, 2005).
Quick Overview
- Artist
- Frederic Leighton (British, 1830–1896)
- Date
- 1865
- Medium
- oil on fabric
- Dimensions
- Framed: 125 x 152.4 x 4.5 cm (49 3/16 x 60 x 1 3/4 in.); Unframed: 96.5 x 122.5 cm (38 x 48 1/4 in.)
- Type
- Painting
- Classification
- Painting
- Department
- Modern European Painting and Sculpture
- Credit line
- Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund
- Accession no.
- 1986.74
More by Baron Frederic Leighton in museum collections
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Open-access museum record · AT-00009239
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