David and Goliath by Caravaggio in Rome - Poster

This painting is on display in the Galleria Borghese. Other versions of this painting are in the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Prado Museum. It shows David holding the head of Goliath after he defeated Goliath in a one-to-one battle. The painting is full of contrasts. David is depicted in the light as a young, strong, and lively man. He wears a wrinkled white cloth that is tucked into his beige pants. He is clean-shaven. He holds the sword of Goliath in his right hand and the head of Goliath in his left hand. He looks at the head of Goliath with a calm but somewhat sad expression. Most of the composition is dedicated to David. In contrast, only the lower right of the composition is dedicated to Goliath who is depicted as an ugly, old, and defeated man. You can see the blood on his forehead, which is the place where David hit him with a stone. His eyes are still knitted, showing his reaction when he saw the stone flying towards his forehead. He has a large beard and an open mouth with rotten teeth. His head is already decaying, and a large amount of blood is dripping out of the bottom. More detailed information about this painting can be found at https://www.tripimprover.com/blog/david-with-the-head-of-goliath-by-caravaggio-in-the-galleria-borghese.