Viceregal School. Peru. 18th Century. “The Triumph of David over Goliath” Oil on Huamanga stone. 17 x 14 cm. Curious, delicate, and highly realistic depiction of the biblical episode narrated in 1 Samuel 17:40, in which David chose five smooth stones before going into battle against Goliath. Although he carried several stones with him, he used only one to strike down the giant. This painting is particularly remarkable because it is executed not on panel or canvas, but on Huamanga stone, a medium especially characteristic of 18th-century Peru, where it reached its greatest refinement and popularity. This type of work is in fact a form of “Andean alabaster sculpture” (calcium sulfate), distinguished by being carved or incised into the stone and subsequently polychromed in vivid colors. The material itself is soft and translucent, similar to marble or ivory, and, combined with the bright pigments, produces a striking sense of realism. The painted subjects executed on Huamanga stone were almost exclusively Catholic in nature, deeply influenced by the ideals of the Counter-Reformation. The composition under discussion was most likely inspired by a 16th-century European or Flemish engraving, as was common practice among painters of the period. We see the young David holding in his right hand the freshly severed head of the Philistine giant, while in the other he carries the sling with which he hurled the stone that struck Goliath in the forehead and caused him to fall to the ground. This victory was followed by a great defeat and massacre of the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:26, 41–53). David was regarded as a man after God’s own heart. When one of Saul’s servants first encounters him, he highlights several qualities that define a great leader: “a man of talent, good judgment, good appearance, and fear of God.” The biblical narrative endures as a moral lesson illustrating how courage, intelligence, determination, and faith may overcome physical strength and even the most overwhelming fears. Comparable works may today be found in the collections of the Pedro de Osma Museum in Lima.