David with the Head of Goliath, 1606 by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Canvas Print - 10951-CMM
Location: Galleria Borghese, Rome, ItalyOriginal Size: 125 x 101 cm
Giclée Canvas Print | $58.94 USD
Your Selection
Customize Your Print
By using the red up or down arrows, you have the option to proportionally increase or decrease the printed area in inches as per your preference.
*Max printing size: 41.3 x 32.2 in
*Max framing size: Long side up to 28"
"David with the Head of Goliath" will be custom-printed for your order using the latest giclée printing technology. This technique ensures that the Canvas Print captures an exceptional level of detail, showcasing vibrant and vivid colors with remarkable clarity.
Our use of the finest quality, fine-textured canvas lends art reproductions a painting-like appearance. Combined with a satin-gloss coating, it delivers exceptional print outcomes, showcasing vivid colors, intricate details, deep blacks, and impeccable contrasts. The canvas structure is also highly compatible with canvas stretching frames, further enhancing its versatility.
To ensure proper stretching of the artwork on the stretcher-bar, we add additional blank borders around the printed area on all sides.
Our printing process utilizes cutting-edge technology and employs the Giclée printmaking method, ensuring exceptional quality. The colors undergo independent verification, guaranteeing a lifespan of over 100 years.
Please note that there are postal restrictions limiting the size of framed prints to a maximum of 28 inches along the longest side of the painting. If you desire a larger art print, we recommend utilizing the services of your local framing studio.
*It is important to mention that the framing option is unavailable for certain paintings, such as those with oval or round shapes.
If you select a frameless art print of "David with the Head of Goliath" by Caravaggio, it will be prepared for shipment within 48 hours. However, if you prefer a framed artwork, the printing and framing process will typically require approximately 7-8 days before it is ready to be shipped.
We provide complimentary delivery for up to two unframed (rolled-up) art prints in a single order. Our standard delivery is free and typically takes 10-14 working days to arrive.
For faster shipping, we also offer express DHL shipping, which usually takes 2-4 working days. The cost of express shipping is determined by the weight and volume of the shipment, as well as the delivery destination.
Once you have added the paintings to your shopping cart, you can use the "Shipping estimates" tool to obtain information about available transport services and their respective prices.
All unframed art prints are delivered rolled up in secure postal tubes, ensuring their protection during transportation. Framed art prints, on the other hand, are shipped in cardboard packaging with additional corner protectors for added safety.
Painting Information
Caravaggio’s technique here is bold, incisive, and unafraid to confront reality. One can practically sense the force of his brush as he blocks in swathes of darkness and carves out the young David’s shoulders with light. There is little in the way of preparatory lines or laborious buildup—his paint handling remains fresh, perhaps even urgent. It’s this unvarnished naturalism that draws the eye to details like the taut veins in David’s arm and the abrupt shift from flesh to shadow on Goliath’s decapitated head. Everything suggests a direct approach that challenges tidy Renaissance ideals, embracing the messy truths of violence and triumph.
Glance at the composition and you’ll notice a clever, if unsettling, arrangement. The foreground is consumed almost entirely by David, his torso pitched forward, guiding the viewer’s gaze downward to the gruesome trophy. Goliath’s face tilts at a disconcerting angle, as though the life is draining away in real time. The sword balances the painting with a diagonal thrust that channels momentum from David’s poised shoulders to Goliath’s lifeless expression. You won’t find architectural flourishes or scenic vistas; instead, Caravaggio strips away distractions, letting the conversation between the figures take center stage.
Then there’s the color palette—limited, and all the more potent for it. Deep umbers and inky blacks form a chiaroscuro stage against which the skin tones appear eerily luminous. David’s sash is captured in a silvery white that heightens the effect of illumination, like a single spotlight falling on a tense drama. The subdued variations of brown and gold intensify the grim reality of blood and steel, echoing the moral and physical darkness that envelops the biblical scene. It’s a palette that amplifies psychological tension as much as visual clarity.
Historically, this painting has been tied to Cardinal Scipione Borghese’s collection, and possibly to Caravaggio’s hopes for pardon after his notorious exploits. The sword bears the inscription “H-AS OS,” a neat abbreviation for “humilitas occidit superbiam,” reminding us that this is a lesson in humility and pride as much as a biblical moment. Some even suggest that Caravaggio chose his own features for Goliath’s face, doubling the drama and swirling personal remorse into a straightforward scriptural narrative. It’s these fusions—of crime, confession, and uncompromising realism—that make this painting such a charged artifact of the Baroque age.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Original Size:118.5 x 95.5 cm
Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Original Size:154 x 178 cm
Private Collection
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Original Size:128.2 x 94.4 cm
Palazzo Barberini, Rome, Italy
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Original Size:65.4 x 105.4 cm
Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana, USA
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
Original Size:110 x 91 cm
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain