David and Goliath (Caravaggio) facts for kids

David and Goliath is a famous oil painting by the Italian artist Caravaggio. He was a master of the Baroque art style. This painting was made around the year 1599. Today, you can see it at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain.

Caravaggio painted this same story more than once. There are two other versions of David with the Head of Goliath. One is in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna and another is in Rome at the Galleria Borghese.

David and Goliath Painting

What the Painting Shows

This painting shows a moment from a famous Bible story. It features David, a young boy, and Goliath, a giant warrior. David has just defeated Goliath. He is shown holding Goliath's head by the hair.

Caravaggio painted David as a young boy, just like in the Bible story. Light shines on David's leg, arm, and side. It also lights up Goliath's huge shoulders and his severed head. Everything else in the painting is dark. Even David's face is mostly hidden in shadows.

You can see a wound on Goliath's forehead. This is where David's stone hit him. The painting feels very personal and quiet. It doesn't show a big battle or a cheering crowd. It's just David, focused on his task.

How it Was Made

Caravaggio painted this artwork early in his career. At that time, he was living with Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte.

Originally, Caravaggio painted Goliath's face looking very scared. His eyes were wide, and his tongue was out. But in the final painting, this dramatic look is gone. Instead, the focus is on David. He looks calm and efficient. His face is almost hidden as he works with Goliath's hair. He kneels almost casually on the giant's body.

This painting, along with two others, was sent to Spain soon after it was finished. The other paintings were an early version of Sacrifice of Isaac and John the Baptist. These paintings were copied often in Spain. They had a big impact on art there.

See also

In Spanish: David vencedor de Goliat (Caravaggio) para niños

• David and Goliath (Titian)
• David and Goliath (Artemisia Gentileschi)