David with the Head of Goliath

Guido Cagnacci

Oil on canvas

J. Paul Getty Museum

This oil painting depicts the young biblical hero David standing triumphantly after his defeat of the giant Goliath, holding aloft the severed head of his vanquished enemy. Cagnacci portrays David clothed in sumptuous, richly colored garments — a convention with deep Renaissance precedent — rather than in historically accurate Old Testament dress, lending the scene a theatrical vitality. The composition reflects the hallmarks of Italian Baroque painting: commanding chiaroscuro, psychological intensity, and a direct engagement with the viewer. Guido Cagnacci (1601–1663), a painter from Santarcangelo di Romagna influenced by the Bolognese School, Guercino, and Guido Reni, is recognized for this David subject in three known variants, with examples held at the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Columbia Museum of Art, and a private collection.