Art Media Analysis Essay

This piece created by michelangelo was sculpted in 1501 and is made out of marble. The location that was chosen was Accademia Gallery, in Florence, Italy. People think that this sculptor just represents David and Goliath, but there is more to it. The sculptor is not showing david while he is fighting, but mere seconds after victory. Before the Renaissance, if one did not have money, man was looked upon as only a worker. During the Renaissance, man was recreated as a beautiful, rational, and heroic figure. “David” signified a man at his best with the glory and confidence that a man needs to live life to the fullest. Life was hard for most men during this time and Michelangelo showed us that by expressing a deeper meaning in

The greatest similarity within both sculptures is the delicacy of detail given to the physique of both figures. The bulging muscles, furrowed brow and ‘broken in’ nature of ‘Boxer at Rest’s’ body displays the rigor, discipline and strength of the human body. ‘David’s’ lean and poised form display the minute detailing of the male form and the delicate balance between the testosterone-based confidence and strength of mankind with the emotional and intellectual nature that embodies both masculinity and femininity (Allen, 2014). Both in the Hellenistic and Italian Renaissance periods, the human form expressed a worthy study for artists and sculptors, because of the difficulty in accurately rendering it with verisimilitude. As such, the Greeks held that the best sculptures were those that demonstrated the godliness and strength of man, while the 15th century Italians held that the best sculptures were those that depicted man as he was; both physically and intellectually. Regardless, in both cultures, the human form was given great importance. The Hellenistic Greeks viewed man as the measure of all things (Castelle, Coquinot & Bourgarit, 2016). The Italians of the 15th century, who also held the human form in great esteem, saw man as an aspect of nature and creature capable of rationality, science and great achievements. Where the Greeks saw a demigod, the Renaissance Italians saw an accomplished

The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci around 1503-6, is oil on panel. It is a three quarter portrait of a young, Florentine woman. She is sitting in a chair with her torso twisting around to face the viewer. Her hands are resting on the arm of the chair. Behind the woman in the background is a landscape very characteristic of many Leonardo paintings. The Mona Lisa was painted toward the end of Leonardo’s career. In contrast, the David created by Michelangelo around 1501-4, is a marble sculpture of the biblical hero David. The seventeen foot tall statue depicts a young man standing in contrapposto. Most of his weight is supported with is right leg, while his left leg is relaxed. He holds

The city of Florence has gone through many invaders, illnesses and many other deaths not related to the battlefield. They had survived it all they believed that they had God on their side and have always come out on top, much like the biblical story of David in battle against Goliath. This influenced Florence to take on David as their symbol and used it to portray the success of Florence. Many artists have created sculptures portraying works of David. It has been depicting it in so many different manners, that there is at least one surviving example from each major art periods. Although there are many we will only be focusing on two works of David. First is Donatello’s classically inspired youthful boy depiction of David, and the second is Bernini’s heroic warrior.

The central idea of individualism is to focus on the importance of the individual, and Michelangelo exemplifies this by making only one statue from an intense scene. David is shown in his moment right before he fights Goliath, and without the rest of the army he’s with or even the man he is fighting. David is the singular focus, showing that one person can set the scene as well as the whole scene made as statues would have. The statue holds fine detailing in it, specifically that given to David’s face. It is clear that there are many emotions that are meant to be displayed, including stress, determination, and fear. Michelangelo wanted to show realism on the statue, and did so by giving it very individual feelings. The realistic way the statue was carved adds to how it holds so much symbolic meaning in solidarity. Having made David on his own conveys how he was by himself during his battle with Goliath. David wasn’t able to receive any help from the army he as with in order to fight the giant, and him being portrayed as a single statue shows how he had to stand apart from the

The pieces of art I will be comparing and contrasting are the three statues of David, by Donatello (Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi), Michelangelo (Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni), and Bernini (Gian Lorenzo Bernini). The statues are modeled after the biblical David, who was destined to become the second king of Israel. Also most famously known as the slayer of the Philistine giant Goliath with a stone and a sling. The sculptures are all based on the same biblical hero, but differ from one another. Each David is unique in its own certain way.

     Michelangelo was another artisan who portrayed David in a unique matter. He didn’t represent David standing over a defeated Goliath, but instead made him look like he was patiently awaiting his enemy. The body has a very classical form and is muscular and very tense. The form makes David look powerful. Michelangelo made David very strong with well defined features, iand even included enlarged hands to show the viewer of the strength that David had before attacking Goliath. Unlike other versions at the time, Michelangelo didn’t create a version of a prideful David, but instead a David who was amongst or aware of his enemy.

How could a statue of a young boy with unconvincing looks as a hero be a notorious work of art? With one glance at the statue, would you believe that this young man could have slain a giant? The story of David and Goliath was very prevalent at the time, and during this period in history, it was commissioned by Cosimo de’ Medici to represent the city of Florence. Florence wanted to show this representation of David through his strength, courage, and youthful confidence in its city. So, dating back to the 1440s, David was a prominent aspect of Renaissance art. The radical change during the Renaissance led artists to alter the original composition of David. Some could agree that this change may have given spectators a different outlook on the meaning and subliminal messages that this statue possess. Different artists, such as Donatello, Michelangelo, and others, all portrayed David in different perspectives. The many different compositions of David would lead one to think, what is the importance behind this sculpture?

What makes a sculpture special? Why was the subject of the piece so important? What’s similar about certain artworks, and what sets them apart? Through the ages, art has allowed us to commemorate key figures and events. Not only that, it has enabled artists to express their thoughts and exhibit their expertise with the innovative new techniques of their time. Two depictions of the biblical figure David are perfect examples of this. Though from separate stages in history, David by Michelangelo and David Slaying Goliath by Gian Lorenzo Bernini broach the same famous feat in similar ways, but still stand alone as singular pieces.

Compare Donatello’s Bronze David with Michelangelo’s David. How did they reflect and/or inform ideas about youthful masculinity in the Renaissance?

One of the very first example of David used as a sculpture is seen in Florence Italian Renaissance. The sculptor, Donatello, was the very first artist who created David as a statuary, freestanding nude male figure. Donatello's work of David took about twenty years to complete, from 1440-1460. In his work, Donatello casted David in bronze, and it is displayed in the courtyard of the Medici Palace in Florence. In the middle ages, nude statues represent "both indecent and idolatrous, in general, appeared only rarely in art -- and then only in biblical or moralizing context; for example, the story of Adam and Eve" (Kleiner 456). Donatello portrays David not as a Greco-Roman God, hero, or athlete. Instead, he portrays David as a youthful biblical slayer of Goliath, which is the symbol of Florence Republic. David represents the Medici identifying themselves with Florence or at least, they are responsible for Florence's prosperity and freedom. "Donatello's David possesses both the relaxed classical contrapposto stance and the proportion and sensuous beauty of the gods of Praxiteles, a famous Greek sculptor" (Kleiner 456).

The sculptures to be examined are St. Lawrence by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and David by Michelangelo. Starting with the obvious, both of these works are sculptures. Both of these works are also marble. Although both of the sculptures use the same material, there is a difference in the way that they use it. Bernini was able to create many different textures in order to show the difference between the flames and the skin of the saint. For Michelangelo, one can look and tell that it is a human and that he has hair per se, but he does not have the skill of texture quite like Bernini. St. Lawrence was completed in 1617, about a century after Michelangelo’s David which was completed around 1501-04. Bernini’s sculpture is about 2 feet by 3.5 feet,

I chose to compare and contrast Michelangelo’s David with Bernini’s David. Immediately after viewing each work, I noted how different the focus was between the two. In Michelangelo’s piece there was a simpler focus with just David, his platform, and the rock in his right hand and the sling in his left hand. Whereas in Bernini’s David, there is more happening. In his sculpture David is covered over the pelvic region, he has a small bag around his shoulder, a more detailed sling, and a platform with his armor and other objects on it. Michelangelo’s sculpture is not to scale with a human, but much larger around 17 feet. Bernini’s sculpture is to scale with a human, about 70 inches tall. I think Michelangelo’s piece is more relaxed and David’s

Some of the differences between the two sculptures of course was the time frame of these sculptures, the size was rather different and the time frame of the moment of David was different. Michelangelo was born March 6, 1475 in Caprese Italy. Michelangelo was considered one of the greatest’s artists during his time. Michelangelo was an artist during

Michelangelo’s David was stylistically significant not only due to its enormous size, but that it depicts David before his battle. The pose is noteworthy because it shows David’s wrinkled brow, muscular torso and strong legs as a preface to his actions. Michelangelo understood the way the body and muscles work together to accurately capture David before the battle in a way that you almost can sense his movement. Michelangelo’s David is more humanistic and shows great detail of muscles and veins, particularly in the neck and arms.