David the Shepherd Lad (1904)

Dated 1904, "David the Shepherd Lad" is an artwork by Robert Payton Reid. It is listed in the Religion collection. The image is in portrait orientation. Religion, a short history: Buddhist painting, Hindu devotional imagery, and Islamic calligraphy and ornament each have conventions of their own. Religious painting is among the largest bodies of art ever made, from altarpieces, icons, and illuminated manuscripts to devotional prints. Context for 1904: Dada and Surrealism followed the First World War, the Bauhaus school was founded in 1919, and Art Deco became the fashionable decorative style of the 1920s and 1930s. The first decades of the twentieth century were a period of rapid experiment, with Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, and the first abstract painting appearing within a few years of each other.

Buying "David the Shepherd Lad" means getting a digital file, not a physical print: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI, delivered by email once payment is confirmed. A 300 DPI file is intended for printing at home or at a local print shop, where you can choose a matte, satin, or fine-art paper to suit the room. A portrait format suits narrow wall spaces, hallways, and the area beside a door or window. Religious subjects rely on symbolism, gesture, and layered painterly drama, so they tend to read best in calm and composed interiors. A simple frame with a mat often helps an image settle comfortably into a room. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour.

English, 1859–1945

If you like the visual language of Robert Payton Reid, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.