Michelangelo's "David " Florence, Italy Wednesday September 21, 2011

Had a guided tour of the Galeria dell'Academia where the real "David" is and many of Michealangelo's works are. Also went to the Uffizi Gallery where there were just too many pieces of art with complex histories, quite overwhelming. Again the guide was worth the money, not to mention skipping the lines (with advance tickets). What is really striking about the sculpture is the sheer size of his hand and his head in proportion to David's body emphasing his intelligence and strength.

Again with the help of Google -
Traditionally, David was portrayed after his victory, triumphant over Goliath. Michelangelo has depicted David before the battle. David is tense, but not so much in a physical as in a mental sense. The slingshot he carries over his shoulder is almost invisible, emphasizing that David's victory was one of cleverness, not sheer force.
Michelangelo was a citizen of the city state of Firenze (Florence). The national state of Italy is very young, and in the time the statue was made (between 1501 and 1504), power resided with individual cities. Firenze was surrounded by enemies that much stronger and more numerous than the city was. When the statue of David was placed on the square in front of the city hall (where you can now find a copy), the people of Firenze immediately identified with him, as a cunning victor over superior enemies. To them, David was a symbol representing fortezza and ira, strength and anger. The statue had (intended) political connotations for the city state that had recently cast of the ruling of the Medici family. Note how David's character traits, are considered more important than his victory over Goliath, which is why Michelangelo depicted him before the battle, strong-willed and ready to fight.
There are two more copies of David in Firenze, one in front of the old city hall, and one on a hill overlooking the city.

David