David and Goliath

This antique panel (118 × 70 cm, or roughly 46 × 27 inches), dating back to 1549–93, belongs to the group of panels forming the 16th-century completion of the Old Testament stained-glass window. It was assigned to Giuseppe Arcimboldi upon the execution of Corrado de Mochis.

The work makes reference to the famous biblical episode in which David, armed with a simple sling, kills Goliath, the terrible Philistine giant, during the war with the people of Israel. A symbol of faith and courage which triumphs over brute violence, the event has served as inspiration for several artistic masterpieces.

The 16-century section contains a variation on the original biblical episode, in which David is depicted with a sword in his hand which he has just used to cut off the giant Goliath's head.

The panel is in relatively good condition, there have been very few improvements since the time of its completion, mainly distinguishable in the part below Goliath's head and at the tip of David's sword. The last restoration intervention succeeded in removing some stray connecting lead visible on David's body, making the composition sharper and clearer.