"David with the head of Goliath" is the newest work in my "Bubblegum" series.

Caravaggio (my obvious inspiration for this piece) treated the subject in 3 of his works. The one that stuck with me is dated 1605-1610, collected in 1650 by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. I was fortunate to see this one live in the Borghese Galleria in Rome.

The immediate inspiration for Caravaggio was a work by a follower of Giorgione, but Caravaggio captures the drama more effectively by having the head dangling from David's hand and dripped out blood, rather than resting on a ledge. The sword in David's hand carries an abbreviated inscription H-AS OS; this has been interpreted as an abbreviation of the Latin phrase humilitas occidit superbiam ("humility kills pride"). But the image includes a few more fun details!

Myself, not being Caravaggio, took the theme and gave it bubblegum. Ultimately, the goal of these images is to pay homage to the traditions of the Old Masters while also finding ways to make their aesthetic relevant, accessible to contemporary audiences. And have some fun in the process.