Michelangelo’s David, Part 4: Now Let’s Talk about Michelangelo’s David

A Statue in Motion: David Before the Battle

Michelangelo was assigned to sculpt the gigantic, 17’ tall and 6,000 pound block of marble into a statue of David where two previous artists had failed to do for whatever reason (the common narrative is that they both deemed the marble imperfect and therefore unworkable). Michelangelo created a powerful, kinetic rendition of David that even manages to tell some of the narrative. Unlike the previous three versions, Michelangelo’s David takes place in the moments before his battle with Goliath. He stands in contrapposto, gazing ahead of him and carrying his stoneless sling on his left shoulder; he hasn’t even bent down to fetch the fatal stone.

Michelangelo designed it as a completely in-the-round statue that could be observed from 360 degrees. If one walks around it in a clockwise direction, David first appears anxious and hesitant: he curls into himself, seemingly leaning back as if getting ready to back away from the battle, with a look of self-doubt and fear. If one takes a few steps to the left, David suddenly appears to have shifted forward in his stance and his face hardens into one of determination. He is powerful, confident, and ready to take on this mighty foe (aided by the power of his faith). It looks as if at any moment, he’ll reach down for a stone and spring into action. This alone solidifies the power of this piece. Michelangelo also consciously sculpted David not as a young boy but as a Herculean figure. 

From the Duomo to the Piazza: The David as Political Symbol

Obviously, Michelangelo looked to Antiquity in designing this warrior. Of note is that his head, feet, and hands are slightly too large for the figure. This was purposeful. Remember, even though Michelangelo sculpted this to be viewed from every angle (he was keeping his patrons, who could provide him with future commissions or patrons, in mind), he also was cognizant that it was supposed to be hoisted high above the ground on top of one of the buttresses of the Duomo. In sculpting the overlarge head, hands, and feet, he knew that they’d appear normal from the ground (three-dimensional foreshortening). If you ever do get to see this in person, make sure to lie down on the ground to get the full effect. With this object, Michelangelo was not just mindful of the narrative impact of the piece but also its intended location and the audience’s view of the object. 

When we keep in mind the significance of David as a symbol of Florence, this object becomes all the more powerful. Upon seeing its unveiling, the operei were blown away, obviously. It was quickly discovered that the statue was much too heavy to hoist so high up and remain stable (marble is not just dense, it is brittle and can snap). Given its spectacle and power, and the fact that the first true republican election in decades had been held just two years earlier, it was decided that Michelangelo’s David would be placed in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in the Piazza della Signoria, the city’s government headquarters. The message was clear: the republican government had overcome the corruption of the Medici and Savonarola to restore peace and stability. It also recalls the city’s medieval glory, beating back mighty foes like the Holy Roman Empire as a small republic. In spite of the fact that this new republic was retaken by the Medici just a decade later, it was there Michelangelo’s David stayed until the 19^th century when it was moved to the Galleria dell’Accademia. 

And this is the power of the David. Obviously, we get a sense of its sublime just by looking at it. But it suddenly becomes so much more impactful once we know this context.