Portrait of the Artist as a Slain Giant

"In war, there are no unwounded soldiers." - José Narosky

Here, we have David with the Head of Goliath painted by Caravaggio, an Italian master of chiaroscuro. David emerges from the shadows, pensive toward his conquered enemy almost with a deep sense of regret. It is interesting to note that Caravaggio painted himself into this portrait not as the victor, but as the head of Goliath. Even though it is placed off-center in a corner, the focus of the viewer gets drawn to the decapitated head and, like David, becomes transfixed by its sorrow. The pained expression perfectly captures the inner conflicts that reside within us all, the problems and worries most often caused by our own hand. With this painting, Caravaggio reminds us that sometimes in life we are our own greatest enemies.