The Victory of David

The Thirty Years' War practically extinguished cultural life in Germany during the first half of the 17th century. Nevertheless, the era produced further extraordinary artistic figures, such as Johann Heinrich Schönfeld. The composition of his painting, "The Triumph of David", embraces one of the central concepts of the Baroque age, namely that of the world as a stage on which life unfolds like a play.

The work was probably painted in Naples in the 1640's: David rides in from the right, with the head of the giant Goliath speared on his sword. He is flanked by soldiers who present the giant's helmet and armour as trophies of victory. In the left portion of the painting, this basically terrifying, however auspicious procession encounters a group of young women, who are making music and celebrating in elegant, dance-like movement. The meeting of the two groups is mediated by the central figure, seen from behind, of a kneeling woman spreading flowers from the basket beside her.

Schönfeld immerses the scene in sharp light breaking in from the left side. It streaks the ancient architecture and exposes the dancer in the red dress and the armour-bearer more clearly than the youthful David himself, who makes an almost timid, dreamy impression. The richly contrasting light and dark are refracted into a blue-grey hue. In the background, the rear of the Old Testament procession is represented in cool, stylised grisaille painting, creating a distanced, stony effect.