Jean Bourdichon - Bathsheba bathing

• Title: Bathsheba bathing
• Artist: Jean Bourdichon (1457-1521)
• Date: 1498
• Medium: Tempera and gold on paper
• Dimensions: 24 × 17 cm

This miniature, depicting a radiant Bathsheba in her bath, originally served as the opening illumination for the seven penitential psalms within the manuscript known as the "Hours of Louis XII". During the Middle Ages, it was believed that King David composed these seven psalms as a means of seeking atonement for his sins, notably his affair with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband.

In this scene, Bathsheba is portrayed as the seductive temptress of King David, depicted nude as she lingers in her bath and gazes boldly at the viewer. Her flowing blond hair emanates a radiant glow on the page, while her slender figure, characterized by high, small breasts and broad hips, reflects the idealized standards of feminine beauty of the time. It is evident that she was crafted to appeal to the manuscript's patron, King Louis XII of France.