David Statue

A LOOK AT

From an early age, Michelangelo showed no interest in his academic education, rather, he preferred to make copies of paintings from other painters and associate mostly with artists.

INTRODUCING MICHELANGELO

ANALYSING THE STATUE OF DAVID BY MICHELANGELO

The Michelangelo statue of David was sculpted from marble between 1501 and 1504 and portrays a biblical character called David, standing in a powerful heroic pose in the nude.

THE MAKING OF THE STATUE

The contrapposto pose originated in the 5th century BCE in ancient Greece and was a characteristic stance employed in classical sculpture.

DAVID'S CONTRAPPOSTO

The triumph of David’s battle with Goliath was further unpacked in the subtle nature by which Michelangelo represented the tool that was used to conquer the giant.

SUBTLE VICTORY

The story of David and Goliath was among the most popular narratives from the bible, which had also been explored countless times in art history.

OTHER DAVIDS

In 1873, the statue was relocated to its current location to protect it from any further damage. Where is the statue of David? Today, the statue of David is on display at the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy.

CURRENT CONDITION

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT DAVID

The plaster cast copy of Michelangelo’s David can be found at the Victoria and Albert Museum and is said to feature a detachable fig leaf that was created to censor the statue’s nudity for royal visits.

COPIES OF THE STATUE

Michelangelo’s mastery over proportion was well-known, but he was presented with a material that was already carved with imperfections, which made it a high-stakes challenge.

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT