The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 20, 2025
David Triumphant over Goliath
late 1400s - early 1500s
(Italian, 1467–1528)
Overall: 7 x 5.8 cm (2 3/4 x 2 5/16 in.)
Location: Not on view
Description
A triumphant David, clad only in his helmet, stands next to the body of his opponent, the Philistine giant Goliath. David holds the sling that incapacitated the giant, allowing him to seize Goliath's sword and sever his head. On the right, a figure, possibly David's friend Jonathan, holds Goliath's body, while his severed head rests at David's feet. As his pseudonym may indicate, Moderno operated at the forefront of the classical revival in the early 1500s. David's body especially owes much to the classical tradition, with heroic frontal nudity that recalls ancient sculptures of ideal youths. The distinct lack of ornament, and the bold use of empty space characterize Moderno's style, where, instead of simply recreating classical prototypes, he reinterpreted and shifted them to produce dramatic compositions.- Dr. and Mrs. Sherman E. Lee (Cleveland Heights, Ohio), by gift to the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1992.
- Turner, Evan H. “The Year in Review for 1992.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 80, no. 2 (February 1993): 38–79. Mentioned: p. 65 www.jstor.org
- Signs of Affection: Gifts Honoring the Museum's 75th Anniversary. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27, 1992-January 3, 1993).
- {{cite web|title=David Triumphant over Goliath|url=false|author=Moderno|year=late 1400s - early 1500s|access-date=20 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1992.131