Michelangelo’s David Up Close: A New Look At An Iconic Sculpture

Few sculptures are as famous as Michelangelo’s David, and if you’ve ever seen it, you’ll understand why. The famous statue is a true embodiment of Florence, symbolizing the city’s strength, independence, and importance in the perfect embodiment of beauty and youth. Of course, while it is not the primary symbolism of Michelangelo’s David it became the most well-known representation of the Renaissance period over the decades. And no wonder — the statue of David is so realistic it takes your breath away!

However, to truly appreciate the beauty and the impact the statue of David has, you have to take all its glorious details into account. Thanks to the photos below, you can clearly see the amount of work that Michelangelo has put into this classical art piece; it is especially nice if you don’t plan a trip to Florence anytime soon to see it for yourself.

The masterpiece of the Renaissance period was completed in 1504 when Michelangelo was just 29 years old. However, what makes it so special is that the statue of David is 17 ft tall (over 5 meters), weighs 12,478 lbs (5,660 kg), and is carved from a single huge block of unwanted Carrara marble.

It took over two years for Michelangelo to carve it, and it depicts the Biblical David, who took down Goliath with a well-aimed slingshotted rock to the forehead. So, if you were wondering what David is holding in his left hand, it’s exactly it — a slingshot.

Michelangelo’s David sculpture was the first depiction of David omitting the giant entirely — the hero is depicted here just before the famous fight. His furrowed brow, the tension in his neck, and his position as if to give him motion give a clue of what’s about to happen.

Although all of Michelangelo’s statues are very impressive, this Biblical character seemed to have awed the 16th-century Florencians just the same as it awes us some 700 years later. Today, over 8 million people per year visit the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, where the statue is kept, so they can marvel at the famous artwork.

The short answer to whether Michelangelo David’s sculpture is realistic would be no; it’s not realistic in the sense of human anatomy, but very realistic in the sense that it almost looks alive.

In all truth, Michelangelo’s statue shows some unusual proportions — an enlarged head and arms. This was probably done because the David statue was supposed to adorn the buttresses of the Florence Cathedral, so the most visible body parts had to be clearly visible. However, even with enlarged proportions, Michelangelo’s David looks as close to a living being as possible.

And while it looks magnificent from a distance, if you really want to appreciate the David sculpture, then you need to take a closer look at the incredible attention to detail. It’s so realistic as if the sculpture is about to move or take a breath!

Although you might’ve heard that the David displayed in the Accademia Gallery of Florence is not the original, it truly is! Which is, when you come to think of it, pretty remarkable. Looking at a sculpture that’s over 700 years old is truly an incredible experience.

The second copy of Michelangelo’s David is located in Piazza della Signoria, just opposite the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, while the third copy is in the middle of Piazzale Michelangelo. And those are just the ones in Florence! All in all, there are about 30 replicas of Michelangelo’s David sculpture all over the world.

That said, you still wouldn’t be able to get as close to any of these replicas to inspect them in such detail as these images allow you. Interestingly, Michelangelo once said, “If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.” No, Michelangelo, it still is. And although Michelangelo died in 1564, aged 88, his statue of David will live on forever.

And in case you were wondering, below is an image of what David might have looked like in real life. What are your thoughts on this? Share them in the comments!