Austria Post has presented to collectors’ attention a special engraved stamp from the “Old masters” series that shows a painting by the early Baroque Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi, also known as Caravaggio. The painting selected for this philatelic item is “David with the Head of Goliath” that depicts a famous scene from the bible story of David and Goliath. The design of this beatiful stamp was made by Kirsten Lubach.
Caravaggio was an iconic Italian Baroque painter and was the first person to be really good at painting this way. He worked in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. Even while he was alive, many people talked about Caravaggio. Some people liked his works, the other found them strange. Caravaggio’s works impress with their striking use of chairoscuro (tenebrism) as well as through their naturalism and dramatic composition.
The painting by Caravaggio that appeared on the stamp shows the triumphant David holding up the severed head of his vanquished opponent. David has shouldered Goliath's sword and his gaze is directed towards someone to the right, outside the picture, to whom he is presenting Goliath's head as a trophy. The heroic boy appears significantly smaller than the giant, yet confident and fearless. His figure is depicted in strong light and dark colours and occupies the largest area in the painting.
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