NO.04
DAVID
Donatello & Michelangelo
1499
Michelangelo's "David" statue, the pinnacle of Renaissance sculpture, is known as "the world's most beautiful man." So far, the art academy around the world will still regard it as a compulsory sketch course.
David, a national hero in the Old Testament, defeated Goliath and beheaded him in battle under the aegis of God.
The original work on David began in 1464 and was planned to be done by the sculptor Donatello as one of the 12 heroes of the Old Testament.
Donatello carved the lower limbs, torso and clothing shapes into Carrara white marble, but did not continue because the material was too fragile. Donatello died in 1466, leaving the statue unfinished.
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Another bronze statue of David by Donatello
Before Michelangelo, many master sculptors had tried to make David, but because the marble itself was thin and contaminated, it required extreme caution, and so they gave up.
Michelangelo was chosen by the authorities to complete the work in 1501 at the age of 26. With his talent, it was easy to carve David, but it took him more than two years to complete the statue.
There have been many sculptures of David before, but most of them depict the figure after victory, stepping on Goliath's head.
But Michelangelo's "David" is very unconventional. Instead of focusing on the triumphant posture, it is frozen in the moment before the decisive battle: he bravely looks the enemy straight in the face, his eyes steady, his posture steady.
David's center of gravity rests entirely on his right leg, with his left leg acting as a support, a stance invented in ancient Greece called "counterbalance," which was not rediscovered by artists until the Renaissance.
There is nothing inherently immoral about nudity
Only if you look at it in an immoral light
That's when it gets nasty
- Schiller -
In addition to having the perfect body of a Greek sculpture, David has unparalleled detail. For example, Michelangelo carved the pupil into a lovely heart in order to make the eyes lively, as if the feeling of light.
If you compare Michelangelo's David to other sculptors, you can easily see the difference. It is this calm and noble form that gives David his eternal artistic appeal.
Michelangelo's David is difficult to surpass, in addition to the perfection of the sculptural form itself, another important reason is its social background.
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Comparison of David statues from different periods
The completion of "David" coincided with the end of the chaos in Florence and the beginning of the Republican era. David's brave expression in defiance of powerful enemies perfectly embodies the strong will of the Florentine people at that time. So it was placed directly in front of the city Hall, no longer a religious figure, but a symbol of the spirit of Florence.
The original painting has now been moved to the College Gallery. But a replica of David can still be seen in front of Florence's City Hall, now the Palazzo Vecchio.
After all, this classic is an historical work. Because of its special significance, people like this sculpture very much. Therefore, more and more people seeks a copy of the historical work.
Because these classic historical works are world -renowned and the symbol of an era, this has made high requirements for the details of the carving of replicas.
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In the next issue, we will deeply interpret Laocoön and His Sons
Post time: Feb-09-2023
