The Nose Was Too Big

If Agostino di Duccio had been even mildly successful crafting something out of a large Carrara marble block, Michelangelo may never have sculpted what would become known as one of the world's great statues, his statue of David.

For forty years, a frustrated di Duccio allowed the marble block to collect dust. In 1501, twenty-six year old Michelangelo won a Florentine competition for sculpting rights of the marble block. Michelangelo won the contest, despite heavy competition from Leonardo da Vinci, among others.

Before sculpting his masterpiece, Michelangelo studied the marble for days, scrutinizing it from different angles. Three years later, Michelangelo completed "David," or, the "Giant," as it sometimes called because it is nearly fifteen feet high.

Unlike most sculptors of the era whose renditions of David included only his triumph over the giant Goliath, Michelangelo chose to show a more reflective David, sling hanging over his shoulders (the only way we are able to identify the Biblical character), gazing into the distance before his famous battle. Michelangelo admired the patriotic and spiritual strength symbolized by the well-known biblical character.

Though most Florentines were immediately amazed at the power of Michelangelo's statue, one city leader thought the nose was too big. The sculptor climbed up the large statue and pretended to chisel at the nose, allowing just enough dust to fall to make the leader think he had changed the statue. When Michelangelo came back down, the leader said the statue was much better and that Michelangelo had finally brought David to life.

With the success of David, Michelangelo was praised during the Renaissance not only as a one of the greatest modern artists, but as one whose work was truly extraordinary. By combining formal beauty with powerful expressiveness and meaning, Michelangelo's fame surpassed much of the work even by the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

One of the most remarkable characteristics of Michelangelo's David is the concentrated expression in the young hero's face. Known as terri bilita, the worried, yet intense look seen in the statue became symbolic of much of Michelangelo's work and his own persona. Through his art, Michelangelo wanted each citizen to become aware of his responsibilities and duty, as is shown in David's terribilita.