The Story of David and Abigail

This composition derives from a lost prototype by Hugo van der Goes, of which several copies are known. One can be found in the Royal Museums of Fine Art, Brussels (inv. no. 142 174 B). Several episodes of the story of David and Abigail (1 Sam. 25, 26-42) are illustrated in which Nabal refuses food to David and expels him. Here we see Nabal's wife, Abigail, meet David and offers him food and drink.