David
Title
David
Description
"David” by Bernini is a life-size marble sculpture depicting the biblical David, about to throw the stone that will bring down Goliath, whom he then beheads. Compared to earlier works on this subject such as the David of Michelangelo, the sculpture broke new ground in its sense of movement and its psychological intensity.
This sculpture shows a key event from the Old Testament during the war between the Israelites and the Philistines. Goliath was the battle champion of the Philistines, and he challenged the Israelite army to settle the conflict by single combat. David is a young shepherd who has gained fame as the king’s musician but accepts the challenge when no one else steps forward to defend the Israeli cause.
David refuses the king’s offer of the royal armor and faces Goliath with just a stone from his sling.
“When the Philistine [Goliath] arose and came and drew near to meet David,
David sprinted toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.
And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone
and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead.
The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.”
Bernini shows David clothed as a typical shepherd, and at his feet lies the armor of Israel’s King, Saul, given to David for battle. The armor is shed by David, as he was unaccustomed to it, and he had faith that he can fight better without the constraint of the heavy armor. At David’s feet is also his harp. The harp was often included as an iconographic device for David, which references to his skills as a harpist.
The biblical David was a favorite subject among artists and had been treated by sculptors such as Donatello (c.1440s), Verrocchio (1473-1475), and Michelangelo (1501-1504). Bernini’s David, though influenced by these works, adds to the art form in different and significant ways. This sculpture was one of many commissioned to decorate the villa of Bernini’s patron Cardinal Scipione Borghese, where it is exhibited today, as part of the Galleria Borghese.
This sculpture shows a key event from the Old Testament during the war between the Israelites and the Philistines. Goliath was the battle champion of the Philistines, and he challenged the Israelite army to settle the conflict by single combat. David is a young shepherd who has gained fame as the king’s musician but accepts the challenge when no one else steps forward to defend the Israeli cause.
David refuses the king’s offer of the royal armor and faces Goliath with just a stone from his sling.
“When the Philistine [Goliath] arose and came and drew near to meet David,
David sprinted toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.
And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone
and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead.
The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.”
Bernini shows David clothed as a typical shepherd, and at his feet lies the armor of Israel’s King, Saul, given to David for battle. The armor is shed by David, as he was unaccustomed to it, and he had faith that he can fight better without the constraint of the heavy armor. At David’s feet is also his harp. The harp was often included as an iconographic device for David, which references to his skills as a harpist.
The biblical David was a favorite subject among artists and had been treated by sculptors such as Donatello (c.1440s), Verrocchio (1473-1475), and Michelangelo (1501-1504). Bernini’s David, though influenced by these works, adds to the art form in different and significant ways. This sculpture was one of many commissioned to decorate the villa of Bernini’s patron Cardinal Scipione Borghese, where it is exhibited today, as part of the Galleria Borghese.
Creator
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Italian, 1598-1680
Italian, 1598-1680
Source
Date
1623–24
Format
Marble
170 cm (67 in)
170 cm (67 in)
Type
Sculpture
Citation
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Italian, 1598-1680, “David,” Physiology - Capstone Projects from BIO 312, accessed October 29, 2026, https://physiology.oberlincollegelibrary.org/items/show/115.