Bathsheba with King David's Letter

Willem Drost's Bathsheba with King David's Letter from 1654 was long attributed to Rembrandt himself, reflecting the extraordinary quality of this work by one of Rembrandt's most talented pupils. The painting's similarity to Rembrandt's own Bathsheba of the same year suggests both works were painted in the master's studio, possibly using the same model. Drost, who later traveled to Italy and died young in Venice, left a small but distinguished body of work that demonstrates the highest achievements of Rembrandt's school.

The nude figure is modeled with a sensitivity to warm flesh tones and soft chiaroscuro that closely approximates Rembrandt's technique. The handling of light on skin and the psychological expression of the letter-reading figure show Drost's exceptional ability to work within his master's idiom.