David is ideal male beauty. A sculpture, copies of which decorate many halls and squares. This is the story of how a block of marble, overcoming difficult challenges during its creation, miraculously preserved in the recent past and being the property of the future, can become a miracle at the hands of human genius.

First steps

The sculpture of David was to be part of an ensemble of twelve large sculptures around the cathedral church of Santa Maria del Fiore. However, by 1464 only two sculptures were ready. The authors of the first two statues were Donatello and Agostino di Duccio. Agostino also began creating David, but after Donatelo's death in 1466, he retired from working on the project.

The complexity of the work attracted many craftsmen, one of whom was also Simone from Fiesole. He failed not only to improve the appearance of “David”. The work was done so poorly that the sculpture, although still unfinished, was mutilated. Some of the cuts remained visible even after a masterfully created miracle by the hands of the last and legendary author.

David's last author

The next and last of the authors, in 1501, was the 26-year-old sculptor Michelangelo. Sculpture had previously attracted the master, but it was difficult to carve a statue without additional pieces. At the first meeting, “David” appeared to the master’s gaze, presenting a pitiful sight. For decades (about 40 years), the unfinished sculpture was subjected to merciless exposure to the elements and precipitation. The struggle to create ideal image lasted more than two years, until 1504. Even after the completion of the main work, Michelangelo worked for another four months to bring it, the sculpture, into proper form, and only then it was presented to the public. On January 25 of the same year, when the work was nearing completion, a commission of leading artists in Florence was convened to evaluate “David”. A heated debate broke out about the original religious meaning of the sculpture and its new civil message. Michelangelo departed from the usual methods of depicting a young man: this time David was depicted not fighting, but preparing for battle. By decision of the council it was proposed to move the sculpture to the meeting place of the city council. However, few already insisted on same place placement of "David".

September 8, 1504. In Piazza Signorini, the Florentine public was able to see the masterpiece. The transportation and installation of the statue was led by Leonardo da Vinci in collaboration with Giuliano da Sangalo and his brother Antonio. An incredibly strong wooden tower was constructed for transportation, and the sculpture itself was suspended on ropes so as not to be damaged by shocks. By that time, the statue weighed more than 6 tons and was 5 meters high. It is noteworthy that earlier it was Leonardo da Vinci who played important role in preserving the young hero, earlier he, along with other sculpture experts, recognized the statue (that same pitiful sight) as suitable for completion.

The statue of David spent three centuries in Piazza Signorini, which became a great test for the work of art (the statue was struck by lightning and was even fired upon). One day in 1527, the sculpture’s arm was broken off, and even after it was repaired, traces of the white mixture of lime and sand that was used for this remained visible. In 1810, “David” was covered with wax, but by 1843, unprofessional cleaning led to the fact that not only the wax, but also the original patina was washed away (hydrochloric acid was used for cleaning).

David's move

Although in 1910 a copy (no less valuable) took the place of the original, and the statue itself was moved to the main hall of the Academy of Arts in 1873, its adventures did not end. Already in 1991, Piero Cannata, an Italian suffering from mental disorders, dealt a new blow to “David”. This time the middle toe of the left foot was hit with a hammer.

By May 2004 (the 500th anniversary of its discovery), the sculpture had been restored and cleaned for the first time in 130 years. The Academy in Florence remained the site of the grand opening.

The colossal work impresses not only with its history, but also with its incredible size. It is difficult to even imagine the work that was produced and, naturally, you experience excitement when observing a work of art of such beauty. Recently, experts found out that the sculpture (the original) is beginning to collapse. This is due to the constant exposure to microvibrations.

The five-meter statue of a young man, the ancient Israeli king David, amazes viewers even today, when the world has become accustomed to gigantic structures. However, a catchy glance is not able to appreciate the true skill of the artist. A sculptor who cuts a block of marble of this size and transforms it into ideal proportions human body, must certainly have excellent visual memory: after all, at any given moment only a small part of the entire figure is in front of his eyes.

It must be said that the artist needed to depict the figure of David as if in motion, using a classic dynamic pose - contrapposto. At the same time, to enhance the artistic effect, Michelangelo resorted to distorting the real proportions of the body, even eliminating “extra” muscles. What Michelangelo created almost single-handedly is now being explored by scientists using technology and computer modeling. It is clear that Michelangelo’s “David” is deservedly included among the most significant creations of human genius.

Even during the life of the great master, there were many legends and anecdotes about this figure. Many of them are given in his biography written by Vasari. For example, they said that the head of the Florentine Republic did not like the nose of “David”, saying it was too long, and he asked Michelangelo to shorten it; the sculptor pretended to shorten the nose, although in fact he did nothing; but the head of the republic this time said: “Now it’s normal!” All this, of course, is a legend.

Another similar legend tells that a giant block of marble, on which the previous sculptor worked, after his death began to be considered spoiled and was preparing to be thrown away; Michelangelo allegedly bought it for next to nothing, and then surprised the world with the finished sculpture. But this story at least partially corresponds to reality: the statue, begun long before Michelangelo, nicknamed the Giant, actually stood idle for a long time - the masters who took it on died.

The main one was Duccio, Donatello’s student; Donatello himself also had to take part in the creation of “David”. Be that as it may, the great Florentines of the past were unable to complete their creation, leaving a pile of marble to get wet in the rain in the square near the cathedral. But then the city authorities wanted to continue working on the statue, for which they had previously invited a whole group of experts. Among these experts was Leonardo. They all found the block suitable for work. The creation of the work was entrusted to Michelangelo, who had already begun to gain fame in the republic.

Michelangelo himself said that he was literally at war with his statue: “David,” they say, is armed with a sling, and I, Michelangelo, with a bow. It's all about the sculptor's name, which translated means “Archangel Michael.” But there was also rivalry with the legendary Israeli king in this work: David defeated Goliath with a sling, and the Archangel Michael fought with Satan himself with a bow. Perhaps Michelangelo felt that both of them - he and his hero, each for his part, were fighting against the forces of evil.

IN modern era, starting from the 19th century, “David,” like many other masterpieces of the Renaissance, became an object of kitsch and commercial culture: numerous “copies” and “variations” of Michelangelo’s masterpiece, photo, painting and graphic works were created that exploited the creation of the great master.

Religious or civil sculpture?

The Florentines appreciated the civic message of the David sculpture almost immediately. Therefore, only a few insisted that the statue remain near the cathedral: most people agreed that it should be moved to the building where the government council met.

The figure of David has long been associated among the Florentines with the independence and power of their republic. Before Michelangelo sculptural image this young man was created by other great Florentine masters.

• One of them is Verrocchio’s sculpture “David,” for which, according to legend, Leonardo himself posed. This bronze statue, on whose face there is a peculiar half-smile, which Leonardo himself will later fall in love with.
• The other statue belongs to Donatello. It's already marble. In it, Donatello, who worked in two styles - “realistic” and “classical”, came to a certain compromise, creating a work that was quite sublime and at the same time original, not copying ancient statues.

All of Michelangelo's predecessors depicted David triumphant after the battle. Michelangelo brought a new iconographic appearance of the young man, depicting him preparing for battle. His facial expression is quite calm, but his muscles are tense. David - a model of the nude male body, radiating strength and power; Only thinness and disproportionately large hands tell the viewer that this is just a young man.

In the 20th century, the authorities of Jerusalem refused to accept a copy of the statue from the Florentines, since in Michelangelo’s work David is not circumcised, and indeed is depicted as a young Italian of the 16th century.

If the paintings and sculptures of Michelangelo Buonarroti, with their predominantly civil message and realism, were generally favorably received high society society - rich townspeople, nobles and church leaders, then the work of his later namesake, Michelangelo Caravaggio, the public refused to accept it, rejecting it in every possible way: they said, for example, that Caravaggio’s religious paintings were not made according to church canons.

Caravaggio also strove for unbridled realism, but his realism was not sublime: the artist seemed to expose the most unsightly sides of reality. The sublime in Caravaggio is quite “low”; Thus, the painting in which the Evangelist Matthew is depicted in the guise of a peasant caused particular indignation among the public. It seems that people are tired of playing with reality, or they realized too quickly that reality is not quite the same as in the works of the Renaissance masters. Caravaggio, who worked in the Baroque era, differed from his contemporaries not only in his tireless pursuit of realism, but also in his sharp contrast of light and shadow.

Video: Sculpture. Michelangelo's David

One of the greatest masterpieces of world art - the sculpture of David - performed by the brilliant Michelangelo, has experienced a difficult fate. The history of the creation of the sculpture itself is long and full of all sorts of twists and turns. Initially, the order was given to Donatello. The material was chosen - a huge block of marble from Carrara, the sculptor began work, but did not have time to finish it. For several years the marble stood abandoned and even began to collapse. The commission of the fathers of Florence decided that the work could be continued by the young Michelangelo. But the budding sculptor was known for his difficult character, as well as meticulousness in choosing material for work. Michelangelo refused for a long time, which caused the displeasure of the city authorities. Finally, when the decision had already been made to give the order to someone else, the future “creator of the Vatican” got to work.

The sculpture took just over two years to create. When the commission came to accept finished work, heated debate broke out. It was all about how he portrayed the hero Old Testament. The Renaissance tradition involved the depiction of David at the moment of triumph after defeating Goliath. Michelangelo took a different path. His David is just preparing for battle. He is concentrated, his muscles are tense, his face is stern.

The interpretation of the image enhanced the civic significance of the sculpture. If at first the work was intended to be placed near cathedral, then now many members of the commission proposed placing it in the central square. After heated debates, a decision was made in favor of Piazza della Signoria as the location for the statue.

Already in those distant times (early 16th century), David was the ideal of male beauty. In order to create accurate proportions and visual appeal of his sculpture, the artist went to some extent to distort the anatomical structure of the human body: at least one rib and one muscle on the back are missing. However, only doctors and specialists in the field of human anatomy notice this.

Interestingly, exact copies of sculptures are also extremely highly valued in the art world and adorn the largest museums. In, for example, the sculpture is equipped with a removable fig leaf in case the queen visits the museum, and in the Pushkin Museum there is a copy made for the collection of the first director of the museum, Tsvetaeva.

Currently, there is a copy of the sculpture in the Florentine square. The original was removed away from weather troubles at the Academy of Fine Arts. However, this did not save David from the vandals. Not long ago, a mentally unstable visitor to the academy rushed at the masterpiece with a hammer in his hands. A few blows were enough to damage thumb legs of the statue.

Italian experts have found that due to the constant microvibrations created by public transport in Florence, the sculpture begins to collapse. The reason for this is not only vibration, but also not too good quality marble, as well as the weight of the 5-meter statue. The possibility of moving the masterpiece to a safer location is currently being considered.

The statue of David by the great Michelangelo is one of the most impressive works Italian Renaissance. This sculpture is considered the perfect ideal of male beauty. Today David can be seen at the Academy Fine Arts.

“David” by Michelangelo Buonarotti is a priceless masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, photo isra

The statue of David by the great Michelangelo (David di Michelangelo Firenze) is one of the most impressive works of the Italian Renaissance. This sculpture is considered the perfect ideal of male beauty.

Today "David" can be seen in the building of the Florentine Academy of Fine Arts. In Piazza della Signoria, where the statue originally stood, a copy of it is now installed.

Creation version of David

There is a version of the creation of the masterpiece, described in the work of Giorgio Vasari. According to this story, a huge block of marble intended for sculpture was spoiled by an inept sculptor. Leonardo da Vinci was offered to correct the work, but the renowned master indignantly refused. Then the material was given to the young talented Michelangelo, and the sculptor amazed everyone with his creation.

About sculpture

David at the Academy of Fine Arts, photo b.fabio85

"David" was installed in the Piazza Signoria near the Palazzo Vecchio in September 1504. The height of the marble statue was 516 cm. Its scale testifies to the skill of Michelangelo. He did not make a full-size clay model, but only sculpted a small wax prototype. While working on fragments of the sculpture, he saw only a small part of it up close - however, all the proportions of David’s figure and facial features were observed perfectly.

Marble David looks menacing and confident, full inner strength. The hero is preparing to fight Goliath: he has a sling in his hand, his muscles are tense. In anticipation of the enemy, the young shepherd's gaze is directed towards the Arno River. David is depicted naked, in the spirit of ancient statues, but his nakedness only emphasizes calm and freedom.

Statue placement and damage

The Florentine authorities were delighted with Buonarotti's work. The statue was placed in a special wooden tower (the marble statue was hung in a box to protect it from shock during transportation). Trouble awaited Michelangelo's creation even at the time of transportation: the procession was attacked by a group of young people, supporters of the Medici dynasty. They sought to capture and destroy the symbol of the Republican government. Fortunately, the rebels' plan failed.

Marble statue of David by Michelangelo, photo Pete Riches

In 1512, lightning struck the pedestal, but the marble figure was not damaged by the elements. In April 1527, during the second expulsion of the Medici from the city, supporters of the republic took refuge in the Palazzo Vecchio. They threw stones and furniture from the windows and caused several damage to the statue. The broken fragments were collected and hidden by Francesco Salviati and Giorgio Vasari. Later the defects were eliminated, but traces of them are still visible.

For centuries, the surface of marble was destroyed by wind and moisture. The statue required restoration - it was carried out in 1843 by Lorenzo Bartolini. The methods of that time were crude: marble was removed with cutting tools and hydrochloric acid, irreparable damage was caused to the top layer of the material.

Copy of the sculpture of David in Piazza della Signoria, photo Alan-Studt

To stop the destruction of the masterpiece, it was decided to move “David” to the Academy of Fine Arts. At the end Art gallery Academy architect Emilio de Fabris built a new pedestal. The statue was transported with unprecedented precautions, in an elaborate wooden cart. In August 1873, she took a new place, but for several more years she stood packed in a box. It was only in July 1882 that Michelangelo's creation was revealed to the public.

In 1991, already within the walls of the Academy, there was a new attempt on “David”. The mad Piero Kanata attacked the statue with a hammer. He managed to damage two toes of his left foot on the sculpture. The damage was repaired, but traces of it are still visible.

Restoration

A major restoration of Buonarotti's masterpiece was carried out in 2003, in the Florentine workshop for processing semi-precious stones Opificio delle pietre dure. For the 500th anniversary of the creation of the priceless statue, experienced craftsmen completely cleaned it of dirt that had accumulated over the centuries.

Sculpture of David (Michelangelo)
Via Bettino Ricasoli, 60 50122 Firenze Italy
uffizi.firenze.it

Take bus 1, 6, 11, 14, 17, 19, 23, 31, 52, 54, 82, C1, G to the Piazza Di San Marco stop

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