1490
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
David raising the head of Goliath is a 1490 by Raphael, a High Renaissance work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This print shows a muscular young man kneeling on rocky ground, holding up the head of a giant by its hair. His face is calm, but his arms strain with the weight. Behind him, a winged figure with curly hair and a soft expression watches from the clouds, holding a scroll. The artist used sharp lines to show the muscles and fabric, making the scene feel dramatic. The contrast between light and dark helps separate the figures from the background. Next, check out sfumato to see how artists like this softened edges.
The engraving depicts David lifting Goliath's severed head from the ground, based on a design by Raphael, and is produced as a print on paper.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Raphael was born Raffaello Sanzio in Urbino on April 6, 1483, the son of Giovanni Santi, a painter and poet attached to the ducal court.
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