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.This article was written by Karyn Dest.
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