David with the Head of Goliath (1620s–30s): Art, History and Details

David with the Head of Goliath (1620s–30s) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Pieter Serwouters (Flemish, 1586–1657); Lucas van Leyden (Netherlandish, 1494–about 1533).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Here, a hymn of praise is sung to the victorious shepherd David, who holds the head of Goliath impaled on a large sword. The life of King David, as relayed in the Old Testament, was intrinsically linked with music. According to the first book of Chronicles, he initiated the use of music in divine worship in his capacity as the king.

Object facts

• Title: David with the Head of Goliath
• Date: 1620s–30s
• Creator attribution: Pieter Serwouters (Flemish, 1586–1657); Lucas van Leyden (Netherlandish, 1494–about 1533)
• Culture: Netherlands
• Type: Print
• Technique: engraving
• Dimensions: Sheet: 26.5 x 18.7 cm (10 7/16 x 7 3/8 in.); Border: 25.9 x 18.4 cm (10 3/16 x 7 1/4 in.)
• Collection: PR - Engraving
• Department: Prints
• Accession number: 1966.167

Collection credit

Gift of Dr. David James

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.