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King David is perhaps best known for slaying Goliath of Gath.  Before he was king, young David bravely struck the forehead of this Philistine giant with a stone from his sling.  Then, using Goliath's own sword, David severed the head of the giant, victorius over his enemy.

The next scene is that which has influenced depictions of the triangle in iconography.

After defeating the giant, David returns home triumphant and is met by the women of all the cities of Israel singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments.  The narrative is found in 1 Samuel 17-18:7 of the Old Testament and has become a major theme in Western art throughout the centuries.  Though brief, these scriptural passages have inspired artists throughout the centuries to interpret the musical instruments of the scene creatively.

~Mark Berry, curator