David verslaat Goliath Possibly 1705 - 1728

Pieter Sluyter made this print of David and Goliath in the late 17th or early 18th century. The image, now in the Rijksmuseum, brings to mind the uneasy relationship between the Dutch Republic and its colossal adversaries. The story of David and Goliath offered a rich allegory for the Dutch Republic, a small nation that had recently triumphed against the massive Spanish Empire. It's possible that Sluyter's print resonates with a sense of national pride following the end of the Franco-Dutch War in 1678 and the Glorious Revolution of 1688. For a more precise understanding, we could examine Dutch printmaking traditions, religious art of the period, and how the narrative of David and Goliath was mobilized in the propaganda of the time. Art history gives us the tools to look at how this image tapped into the social and political currents of its time.