Who painted David with the Head of Goliath?

David with the Head of Goliath was painted by Carlo Dolci in 1680-01-01.

Where can I see David with the Head of Goliath?

David with the Head of Goliath is held by Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

What movement is David with the Head of Goliath?

David with the Head of Goliath is associated with Early Baroque Italian.

Can I buy a print of David with the Head of Goliath?

Museum-quality prints of David with the Head of Goliath are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

David with the Head of Goliath

Carlo Dolci

David with the Head of Goliath is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Carlo Dolci. It is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Iconographically, the composition focuses on the moment after the battle, presenting the beheaded head as a trophy of victory.

Carlo Dolci's 1680 oil painting depicts the biblical hero David holding the severed head of the giant Goliath. The work illustrates the main subject of David and Goliath, a narrative central to religious art. Iconographically, the composition focuses on the moment after the battle, presenting the beheaded head as a trophy of victory.

The imagery serves as a representation of the triumph of the underdog and divine favor over brute strength, consistent with the genre of religious storytelling prevalent in Dolci's oeuvre.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1680, this religious painting by Carlo Dolci utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 131.5 cm in height and 106.0 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on the biblical narrative of David and Goliath, specifically depicting the protagonist holding the beheaded head of the giant. The piece is classified as a painting within the religious genre.

History & Provenance

Carlo Dolci painted David with the Head of Goliath in 1680; the work is executed in oil on canvas and measures 131.5 cm by 106.0 cm. It entered the Demidov collection and has been housed in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston at Villa San Donato since its acquisition. The painting is part of the museum's European collection and is catalogued under the reference 34746 in the Prado's former database, though the Prado page is now unavailable.

The painting is held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where it forms part of the Demidov collection. The work is catalogued as part of that assembled holdings, with its earlier provenance linked to Villa San Donato before entering the Boston institution.

No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.

Overview

Carlo Dolci, a Florentine artist active in the late 17th century, completed the oil painting David with the Head of Goliath in 1690. Executed during the early Baroque era, the work presents a biblical scene in which the youthful hero David holds the severed head of the Philistine giant Goliath. The canvas is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Context

Dolci’s career unfolded in a Florentine environment still influenced by Counter‑Reformation demands for clear, didactic religious imagery. While many contemporaries pursued grandiose compositions, Dolci’s approach favored intimate, precisely rendered scenes that catered to devotional practices and the tastes of patrons seeking refined visual narratives.

David Bearing the Head of Goliath, Jacob van Oost

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Artist & collection

Artist

Carlo Dolci

Carlo (or Carlino) Dolci (25 May 1616 – 17 January 1686) was an Italian Baroque painter active mainly in Florence, known for highly finished religious pictures, often repeated in many versions.