David with the Head of Goliath (1610) by Caravaggio

David with the Head of Goliath - Caravaggio - 1610

Artwork Information

TitleDavid with the Head of Goliath
ArtistCaravaggio
Date1610
Mediumoil,woodcut
Dimensions125 x 101 cm
Art MovementBaroque,Tenebrism

About David with the Head of Goliath

The artwork titled “David with the Head of Goliath” was created by the artist Caravaggio in the year 1610. Executed in the medium of oil and woodcut, this work exemplifies the Baroque and Tenebrism art movements. The dimensions of the artwork are 125 x 101 cm, and it belongs to the genre of religious painting.

The artwork dramatically portrays the biblical scene in which David, the young shepherd, triumphantly holds the decapitated head of the giant Goliath. The composition is a striking example of Caravaggio’s mastery in the use of chiaroscuro, with the figures emerging from a starkly dark background into a spotlight of intense illumination. David stands partially clothed with a calm, yet pensive expression, and grasps Goliath’s severed head by the hair. The grotesque and anguished visage of Goliath underscores the brutality and finality of the act. Caravaggio’s depiction is both realistic and emotionally charged, capturing the aftermath of this legendary encounter with an almost unsettling sense of immediacy.

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