David and Goliat 1916

Nils Dardel created this small painting of David and Goliath using watercolour on paper. The colour palette is light, almost airy, which is interesting given the gory subject matter. The scene is set with some bold brushstrokes, with an almost luminous quality, like a dream. I wonder, when Dardel was making this, if he was thinking about other artists who depicted the same biblical scene? Maybe he wanted to find a different angle. I can almost see him building up the figures with thin washes, letting the whiteness of the paper shine through. The brushstrokes feel quick, instinctive. There’s a sense of immediacy, which reminds me of folk art. Look at the way the blood has been painted, thick and textural, as it emerges from the neck of Goliath, in sharp contrast with David's simple features. Painting can give you a way to express something that maybe can't be put into words. It’s like the artists are in an ongoing conversation.