Yesterday I had the awesome experience of seeing five of Michelangelo’s works, one of which was the David. I walked into the Academia—the museum and art school where he is kept—and saw him at the end of a long corridor, looking perfect and majestic and way better than in the pictures. The pictures don’t do the sculpture justice—they can’t capture the feeling of immense presence and power that the sculpture conveys, the delicate modeling in his hands, the purity of profile, the perfection and magnitude of it.
And lining the hall that leads up to the David, four of Michelangelo’s unfinished “Slave Sculptures”, which look like giants fighting their way out of the stone blocks—but not yet fully revealed. Michelangelo’s theory of sculpting was that when he saw a block of stone, he would see the figure inside of it, waiting to be released. It was his job, he believed, to chip away the stone and reveal what was already inside.
Michaelangelo's unfinished Atlas Slave
David has an interesting history. He just recently turned 500 years old, and the Academia held a party in his honor with everyone important in art invited in the city of Florence. They put a crown of flowers on his head for the occasion, as the rulers of Florence did when David was first presented to the city 500 years before.
Recently, art historians have done research on David, and found through careful study of the statue the kinds of stonecutter’s tools that Michelangelo used. Turns out that Michelangelo was left-handed.
Also fascinating is the fact that once David’s arm completely fell off. This was towards the beginning of his history, when the Medicis were in power. There were riots in the streets that were very violent in that time, and because of the crowds one summer his arm fell of –and killed a man beneath him! The story is recorded by historians of that time that the crowds were so thick that they could not get at his stony arm for three days because of the riots.
Michelangelo worked on David for four years, out of a piece of marble that was deemed “unuseable” by all the other artists in the city. However, Michelangelo saw inside that block of marble a figure waiting to be released, and he went on to create one of the most iconic and important sculptures in all the history of art.
As an artist, I can learn from this…it’s not the materials you use, it is what you do with them.
And tomorrow…Rome! Come back soon for a full report.
I did my freshman term paper on Michelangelo’s “Captives.”
when you get the chance, read Irving Stone’s “The Agony and the Ecstacy”. I’m reading it again at the moment, that’s why on the internet looking at images. Obviously a work of fiction but based on research I’m sure, it rings so true and is a fascinating insight to the thought process behind sculpture. Also gives a different view on why pieces of marble, and how, are chosen. I wished I’d read the book before seeing David – but will return!! I’m with you, and for years told my children how he mesmerized me as I walked up towards him. When I eventually took my husand and children to see him, they were’nt disappointed. They said I hadn’t talked him up too much and were equally in awe of his power and presence – as you say! Good luck with the rest of your travels – you’ve definately seen one of the wonders in my book!