David and Bathsheba

Illustration

For this illustration of the (in)famous story of David and Bathsheba, I chose a painterly style with a movie poster-like composition.

King David, now ruling in Jerusalem, is standing on his balcony looking over the city of Jerusalem. Soon, something catches his eye. A beautiful woman is bathing on top of a house and David is electrified by her beauty. He promptly starts to investigate about the mysterious woman who happens to be the wife of Uriah, a loyal soldier of David's army. David, ignoring the fact that she is a married woman, calls her to his palace. Bathsheba becomes pregnant and David quickly tries to cover the affair. When all his endeavors become futile, he decides to get Uriah killed. Uriah is sent to the front-line where he dies while fighting for king and wife, not knowing that both betrayed him. Hearing the news about Uriah's death, David makes Bathsheba his concubine.

But the crime that David committed is not unseen by God - so Nathan the prophet enters the storyline.
With a simple but moving parable, Nathan presents David's evilness and rebukes him. David, now understanding the horror of his sin, regrets what he did and repents of his ways. Though he is forgiven, he will witness the consequence of his sin: from now on the sword will not depart from David's family, ensuing again and again conflicts and fights which will ultimately divide the country...

The story has everything - crime, betrayal, tragedy, justice and mercy.