This plaquette depicts the story of David and Goliath and is made by Moderno in the late 15th ot the early 16th century. Plaquettes in Renaissance Italy developed from the growing interest in the visual and intellectual cultures of the classical world, and had their place in the collection and display of classical art and artefacts.
David was a shepherd boy, who became King of Israel. The battle between the two is from the Old Testament. Goliath was the head of the Philistines who were facing the Israelites in the Valley of Elah. For forty days Goliath appears and asks the Israelites to send him a champion to fight with him in a single combat. David is the one who in the end accepts the challenge, but solely equipped with a sling and some stones and a staff. In contrast to Goliath who was wearing armor and shield. David succeeds and cuts Goliath’s head off. In Christian tradition this symbolizes the victory of right over wrong or the Church’s fight and victory against Satan.

Moderno (Galeazzo Mondella) (1467-1528) is the pseudonym of this goldsmith and medallist active in North Italy and later in Rome. He signed certain pieces of his work with OPUS MODERNI (opus is the Latin term for 'work' - which then means 'work of the modern'). The modern here is referring to the Ancient World, in contrary to the Naturalism of the Gothic. His earliest works may date around 1485-1490, and his earliest dated work is 1490.