David

Question 1

artist

Answer 1

Michelangelo

Question 2

biblical story depicted

Answer 2

The story of David from 1 Samuel 17, where a young shepherd boy defeats Goliath with a slingshot, symbolizing God’s power.

Question 3

significance to florence

Answer 3

A: The story of David, a small yet powerful hero, aligned with Florence’s identity as a republic defending its liberties against larger, tyrannical forces.

Question 4

size and material of Michelangelo’s David?

Answer 4

colossal statue (13 ft tall), carved from a single block of Carrara marble, the largest nude since antiquity, linking Florence to classical ideals.

Question 5

pose

Answer 5

David is in contrapposto, with a dynamic yet relaxed stance. This reflects Renaissance ideals of balance, naturalism, and human dignity.

Question 6

identification as David

Answer 6

he slingshot and stone are the only attributes linking the figure to the biblical hero, stripped of unnecessary details to evoke a range of meanings.

Question 7

How does Michelangelo convey tension in David?

Answer 7

A: The furrowed brow, bulging veins, and intense gaze suggest David is poised for battle, embodying outward calm but inward readiness.

Question 8

Why are David’s head and hands oversized?

Answer 8

The oversized head and hands were designed for viewing from a height on the cathedral buttress and emphasize his intellect and strength.

Question 9

humanism

Answer 9

-naturalistic emphasis

Question 10

classical antiquity

Answer 10

-contraposto
-use of marble
-heroic presentation
-elongated torso

Question 11

marble significance

Answer 11

-heightened realism

He utilized the translucency of marble, detailed veins, undercutting in the hair, and drilled pupils to create lifelike textures and expressions.

Question 12

realism

Answer 12

: Extensive dissections and life drawing informed the naturalistic details of the male form, although proportions were idealized for effect.

Question 13

commission

Answer 13

opera del duomo, intended for florences cathedral dome

Its civic and symbolic significance grew, and its size made it impractical to place so high. It was installed at the Palazzo della Signoria instead

Question 14

civic values

Answer 14

gaze in direction of rome warning medici

Question 15

who is david oferred armour and weapons from

Answer 15

saul king of the Israelites

Question 16

political significance

Answer 16

Piero de’ Medici (Piero the unfortunate), having made some catastrophic political decisions, was forced out of the city by a mob of his fellow Florentines.

filled by Savonarola, the fierce Dominican preacher whose sermons fired popular devotion and reform. However, he was executed in 1498.

. In 1502 they elected Piero Soderini gonfaloniere for life in order to give greater stability to their republican institutions.