Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 – 1564) was in his early twenties when he was commissioned to create a statue representing the biblical hero of David. David, marble sculpture executed from 1501 to 1504 by the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo. The statue was commissioned for one of the buttresses of the cathedral of Florence and was carved from a block of marble that had been partially blocked out by other sculptors and left outdoors. The Statue of David embodies the city of Florence, symbolizing independence and strength in the perfect image of youthful beauty. Michelangelo's David took on new meaning shortly after its creation as both a symbol of the Renaissance and a representation of the city itself.
Michelangelo drew inspiration for this sculpture from the Biblical story of David, the tale of a young shepherd boy who saved the Israelites by slaying the warrior giant Goliath wielding only a sling and a handful of stones. I think the story of why Michelangelo made David was very interesting. It taught us a good lesson. The statue of David by Michelangelo depicts this moment, with David standing tall and ready to face Goliath. The statue is a representation of strength, courage, and faith. These were important themes in Renaissance art that continue to be relevant today.
The statue of David came to symbolize the independence and civil liberties of Florence, and David's eyes cast a threatening glare in the direction of Rome, serving as a warning to any who dared challenge the city. It is known from archive documents that Michelangelo worked at the statue in utmost secrecy, hiding his masterpiece in the making up until January 1504. Since he worked in the open courtyard, when it rained he worked soaked. Maybe from this he got his inspiration for his method of work: it is said he created a wax model of his design, and submerged it in water. As he worked, he would let the level of the water drop, and using different chisels, sculpted what he could see emerging. He slept sporadically, and when he did he slept with his clothes and even in his boots still on, and rarely ate, as his biographer Ascanio Condivi reports.
There was a story about the statue David. When the statue David was finished all the people went and looked at David. The people thought that it was perfect. But the guy who wanted to buy the statue David told Michelangelo that he thought nose was not good enough. So Michelangelo went up to fix it. The statue was so tall that the people couldn't understand what Michelangelo was doing. They just heard some noise and some smell rock went down. When Michelangelo came down the nose didn’t change any. But the guy who wanted to buy it told Michelangelo it was better. And at last Michelangelo told his friend that he did nothing. I think the story is interesting. So I like David this statue of David.
Michelangelo's David has become one of the most recognized works of Renaissance sculpture; a symbol of strength and youthful beauty. The colossal size of the statue alone impressed Michelangelo's contemporaries.
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