How a Great Work Came into Being
Michelangelo’s David
A legend tells of a cracked and scarred block of marble from which Michelangelo was to sculpt the biblical David for the citizens of Florence. When the artist accepted the commission, he saw the possibilities in the stone more than its imperfections.
The youthful David courageously defeated Goliath, the giant warrior of a power-hungry, hostile king. He is then chosen as king by his own people. He soon abuses his power as king himself. He recognises this, faces up to it and changes. He thus becomes a symbol of the servant king who leads his people to unimagined prosperity. At a time when the people of Florence were striving for freedom and more participation, David was a symbol of hope.
Michelangelo entered into a silent dialogue with the stone, exploring its cracks and veins. In this creative exchange, he sensed the figure that lay hidden in the marble. His hands followed the lines of the stone and his inner image. After 3 years of passionate dedication, he brought 8.5 tonnes of marble to life in a creative work and created a masterpiece.
The statue found its place in front of Palazzo Vecchio as a testimony to courageous dreams and social visions of a new way of living together. For centuries, the statue of David embodied the potential for development and the aspirations of the people of Florence, which found ever new realisation.