David Refuses to Wear Saul's Armour

Sebastiano Ricci painted for courts and princes across Europe, yet the museum calls this the only work he made expressly for Verona. It was painted for a church in the city.

The story comes from the First Book of Samuel, just before David meets Goliath. King Saul dressed the young shepherd in his own armour, a bronze helmet and a coat of mail, and David buckled the king's sword on over it. He tried to walk and could not, because he had never worn such things. So he took it all off again, and went out to face the giant with his staff, his sling and five smooth stones chosen from the stream.