Long a staple of countless tales of adventure, the lone hero is a powerful symbol of the indomitable will and resilient strength of the human spirit. Joshua David has taken a particular interest in — and has a unique talent for — depicting these stalwart warriors in moments of defiant action and peaceful introspection.

Resting between bloody skirmishes in unnamed conflicts, they take a moment to reflect on their past glories and future conquests. A few figures are easily anchored to a particular moment in history, but it is difficult to say if most are hewing a path through ancient history or a future wasteland scrubbed clean of all signs of a once great civilization.

Either way, Mr. David has elegantly captured the ultimate solitude and the unending pathos of war in his oddly restful portraits.