Pennnacchi, Pier Maria (attrib.)
King David

Late 15th / early 16th century
Painted panel
Ceiling, Santa Maria dei Miracoli
Venice, Italy

This is one of several dozen painted panels in the church's coffered ceiling. The harp is David's most common attribute, referring to his putative Authorship of the Book of Psalms, many passages of which were thought to foretell the coming of Christ. Thus David is labeled here not as a king but as a prophet (abbreviated in the banderole to ꝒTA).

Artists in this period often represent Old Testament Jews with turbans. The spiky thing above the turban is presumably a crown.

According to the church's guide book, "The attribution of the painting cycle to Pier Maria Pennacchi (c. 1464-1515) seems to have been a generic label applied long after the diverse figures were painted."

Read more about images of King David.

Photographed at the church by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.