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A melancholic young David holds the severed head of Goliath—a self-portrait of Caravaggio—at arm's length, sword inscribed with an abbreviation meaning "humility conquers pride."
Significance
Painted while Caravaggio was a fugitive with a death sentence, it may be a plea for papal pardon. The giant's face shows the artist's own features, perhaps confessing his sins.
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
125 cm × 101 cm
Location
Galleria Borghese, Rome, Italy