DAVID by Michelangelo: commentary and analysis

The David by Michelangelo is the most recognizable and popular work of art of the Italian Renaissance and, along with Brunelleschi's dome of the Duomo, one of the most iconic and photographed symbols of Florence. Not surprisingly, you can admire three sculptures of Michelangelo's David in the city: the original, located in the Galleria dell'Accademia; a copy in the Piazza della Signoria and another copy in bronze, the David of the Piazzale Michelangelo.

In this lesson of unPROFESOR.com we offer you the commentary and analysis of Michelangelo's David.

Michelangelo's David It is a marble sculpture 5.17 meters high and 5.5 tons in weight. It was a commission for the Opera del Duomo made in 1501 to the versatile artist. In principle it was intended to decorate the abutments or buttresses of the cathedral, but both because of its size and its quality, the sculpture was placed in the Piazza della Signoria, center of political power in the city.

It was exhibited there until it was moved to the Galleria dell'Accademia in the 19th century, placing a copy in its place. The sculpture was made by

Michelangelo Buonarrotibetween the years 1501 and 1504 and after sculpting the first Vatican Pietà (1498-1499).

Theme

Michelangelo was commissioned to sculpt a statue representing David and Goliath, being perceptive to use for it a large block of marble which had been abandoned 40 years earlier by Agostino de Duccio.

The subject of Davis had already been dealt with before by sculptors such as Verrocchio, Donatello or Ghiberti. However, and while other authors stop at the moment of victory over Goliath, Michelangelo shows us the moment before David's confrontation with the giant. Thus, although the initial theme was religious, the sculpture ended up in the hands of the Government and became symbol of good government and defense of the country.

The play was rejected by the most conservative groups of the city, even throwing stones at it for being considered a pagan work. However, the statue became a symbol of the city and of the Italian Renaissance.

Michelangelo concentrated on the human aspect of the character, in the virtues that make the human being overcome to face a giant.

Michelangelo represents a muscular young man in a pre-combat position. The man rests his left hand on his shoulder and carries in it a sack in which he carries his sling, while in his right hand he hides a shafted sling.

Between the main characteristics of Michelangelo's David we highlight:

• Is a free-standing or round sculpture.
• He takes on a posture typical of classical sculpture, the contrapposto. A posture in which the total weight of the body falls on one leg, while the other remains relaxed. The hips and shoulders form two opposite angles and the torso takes on an S-curve shape.
• This posture brings Balance balancing the tensions.
• There is a containment between tension and relaxation of the body, showing the emotional state of a person who is on alert and preparing to take action.
• Michelangelo manages to print strength and expressiveness in David's face. Thus, the young man shows confidence and power in his expression, as well as a defiant look before his enemy. A strong and dramatic expression known as terrible and a constant in the work of Michelangelo.
• Despite the harmony in the sculpture, the proportions are not perfect, Michelangelo adopting techniques that tend to disproportion. The objective of this practice was to adapt to the fact that the statue was going to be appreciated from the bottom up. It is also believed that Michelangelo enlarged the head and hand as a way of emphasizing how cleverness and dexterity helped David win the match.

Michelangelo enhances the intelligence of the human being by showing us the moment before the use of physical force. The moment of thought and emotions prior to the fight and that differentiates and praises the young David against Goliath, a giant characterized by his brutality.

The sculpture represents renaissance values, those of balance and moderation. By not including Goliath in the sculpture, it is an exaltation of intelligence, youth and human virtues. This interpretation ended up convincing the Florentines that the David became a political symbol of the city and of Florence's struggle against neighboring states.