This painting is a story about David the Israelite who killed Goliath who was against his people. Goliath was the toughest, strongest, and tallest man of that time and David was just a young shepherd. He was clearly going to lose against such a bigger opponent but David trusted God and hit him with his slingshot in the eye and Goliath fell to the ground and David was victorious. Rubens portrayed David as a hero and a child moving into manhood. Rubens made the sky on the left side of David bright while making the right side of the painting dark. Rubens is trying to show light overcoming darkness. In this painting Rubens uses the baroque style which was highly encouraged by the church. This style uses color very well and emphasizes movement as you can see David is doing. David is shown very muscular and wearing a toga. The muscularity is the same style in Roman sculpture although David was not muscular he is portrayed muscular. He is also wearing a toga which was not worn in the time of the David and Goliath by shepherds. David is also very large compared to what is described in the bible where he is a small shepherd. Rubens made the focus on David and Goliath by making all the soldiers in the back hard to see and not detailed. ("Peter Paul Rubens")
Standing up as an underdog. This painting is a prime example of my theme. David was laughed upon by the Philistines and was doubted by his own people. He did not lose faith in God to overcome the battle of Goliath. He trusted in God and swung his slingshot to kill Goliath.
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