Michelangelo's David (1501–04)

Question 1

Q: What is the biblical story depicted in Michelangelo’s David?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Q: Why was the story of David significant to Florence?

Answer 2

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 3

Q: What is significant about the size and material of Michelangelo’s David?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Q: What is the pose of Michelangelo’s David, and why is it significant?

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Q: How can we identify the figure as David?

Answer 5

A: The 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 6

Q: How does Michelangelo convey tension in David?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Q: Why are David’s head and hands oversized?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Q: How does David reflect humanist ideals?

Answer 8

A: The naturalistic yet idealized depiction of the male form emphasizes human potential, intellect, and divine purpose, central to Renaissance humanism.

Question 9

Q: How does David reference classical antiquity?

Answer 9

A: Its heroic nudity and contrapposto stance echo classical sculptures like the Colossus of Rhodes and the Belvedere Torso.

Question 10

Q: What was Michelangelo’s view on sculpture compared to painting?

Answer 10

A: Michelangelo believed sculpture was superior, emphasizing the three-dimensional form and its closer relation to divine creation.

Question 11

Q: How did Michelangelo’s technique enhance David’s realism?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Q: How did Michelangelo’s study of anatomy influence David?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Q: Who commissioned David, and for what purpose?

Answer 13

A: The Opera del Duomo, originally intending David as one of a series of prophets for the Florence Cathedral’s dome.

Question 14

Q: What challenges did Michelangelo face with the marble block?

Answer 14

A: The block had been abandoned and partially carved, requiring Michelangelo to adapt his design to preexisting imperfections.

Question 15

Q: Why was David not placed on the cathedral buttress as planned?

Answer 15

A: 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 16

Q: How did David embody Florentine civic values?

Answer 16

A: The statue symbolized the Republic’s defense of liberty against tyranny, with its gaze warning Rome, the Medici refuge.

Question 17

Q: How does David connect to the figure of Hercules?

Answer 17

A: The heroic pose and symbolic attributes link David to Hercules, both heroes representing fortitude, liberty, and civic virtue.

Question 18

Q: How did Michelangelo’s material choice enhance David?

Answer 18

A: Marble’s translucency mimics skin, its softness allows for intricate details, and its classical associations enhance the work’s heroic nature.

Question 19

Q: What political changes influenced David’s creation?

Answer 19

A: The fall of the Medici (1494), Savonarola’s rule, and the revival of the Republic under Piero Soderini shaped its civic symbolism.

Question 20

Q: What damage has David suffered over the years?

Answer 20

A: It suffered weathering, improper cleaning in 1843, and an attack in 1991. In 1873, it was moved indoors to the Accademia Gallery for preservation.

Question 21

Q: How does Michelangelo’s David differ from Donatello’s and Verrocchio’s versions?

Answer 21

A: Michelangelo’s David is heroic, monumental, and depicted pre-battle, while Donatello’s and Verrocchio’s are smaller, bronze, and post-victory.

Question 22

Q: How might Donatello’s St. George have influenced David?

Answer 22

A: The contrapposto pose, heroic expression, and civic symbolism in Donatello’s St. George prefigure Michelangelo’s David.

Question 23

Q: How did Florence’s patronage system influence David?

Answer 23

A: The Opera del Duomo and Florence’s guilds commissioned public works to reflect civic pride and republican values, epitomized by David.

Question 24

who is david oferred armour and weapons from

Answer 24

Saul, King of the Israelites

but David refuses these and instead picks 5 smooth pebbles/stones from the stream and kills Goliath with his slingshot

Question 25

eyeline

Answer 25

*It is as though David has just caught sight of his enemy; his head has turned, his eyes have darted to the left and his body has tensed.

The eyes of David, with a warning glare, were turned towards Rome, the city in which the Medici took refuge and would eventually rule over as Popes (Leo X and Clement VII).

Question 26

arms

Answer 26

*His right hand hangs down by his side, holding a rock, while his left arm is raised and bent at the elbow holding the slingshot.

Question 27

genitals

Answer 27

*The small size of David’s genitals and the lack of circumcision (despite this being a Jewish figure) is typical of Michelangelo’s works and in line with Renaissance conventions, perhaps referencing the ancient Greek ideal of pre-pubescent male nudity

Question 28

expulsion of medici significance

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

techniques

Answer 29

*Marble can be drilled into to produce details, this is evident in the pupils of David creating a more life-like appearance and enhancing his concentrated expression.

*Undercutting is evident in his hair, casting a shadow over his face and creating drama.

*The low tensile strength of marble explains the relatively un-daring pose and the support needed from the heavy base and the tree trunk.

*Soft and easy to carve which allows for a high level of detail, as can be seen in the veins on David’s hands.