David killing the Lion

David Killing the Lion depicts the young shepherd's feat of strength that prefigured his later victory over Goliath. For Pietro da Cortona, such Old Testament subjects offered opportunities to demonstrate his mastery of the heroic male figure and dramatic action—qualities that also informed his great ceiling paintings. The work's location in the Pinacoteca Vaticana reflects its association with papal collections. His position alongside Bernini and Borromini as one of the three great creators of Roman Baroque style gave him access to the most prestigious commissions in 17th-century Rome, and his approach to illusionistic ceiling painting defined the grandest ambitions of the era.

The violent confrontation between the youthful David and the lion is rendered with dynamic energy, the muscular forms and twisting poses reflecting Cortona's study of Hellenistic sculpture and Michelangelo. Bold modeling and warm, earthy tones create a powerfully physical image.