Anyone who has traveled to Florence will agree with me that it is a special city, where art arises in any corner or in any corner, a city created to be admired.There is a street that well It could go unnoticed, a cobbled street over Florence, a street that hides one of the most beautiful treasures of the Renaissance.A sculpture that from the bottom of the Galleria dell 'Accademia, stares at everyone who I approached to contemplate that imposing figure. The David of MiguelAngel , let us know its characteristics, its history, and also some curiosity about this sculpture of colossal size.
The David of MiguelAngel | Historic Moment
When Cosme de Medici managed to become Signore in 1434 of the city of Florence, the power of a banker dynasty began> who directed the designs of Florence during practically the entire Renaissance.Sixty years of a dynasty that brought four signori to the city government, until in 1494 the last sign Pedro de Medici surrendered to the brilliant fall of the Kingdom of Naples by of King Charles VIII of France.
Before a population dissatisfied with the situation and the multiple revolts, the religious Savonarola took advantage of the situation to launch the crowd against the Medici and thus overthrow a tyrannical government, full of intrigues and violence.
The enraged people entered the family palace looting everything they found, once Once the Medici were overthrown, the Republic of Florence was proclaimed , all under the control of religious Savonarola.
Savonarola
Now the new republic would be governed by an official called justice confaloniero and 8 priors.Savonarola pursued everything that It is considered vain or sinful.In the Signoria Square , a fire was created where everything that would incite sin would be burned, it was the so-called bonfire of the vanities and it MiguelAngel and Botticelli were forced to launch some of their works because they considered themselves sinful.
The bonfire of the Vanities.Execution of Savonarola
But one thing was Savonarola in Florence and another thing was the papal power and at that time the family B orgia, specifically Pope Alexander VI , began to consider him a possible rival, a suspicion that ended the life of the religious, curiously in the same bonfire of the vanities, under charges of treason, disobedience and disregard of the precept.
In 1502, Piero Soderini, would become a life-long justice confalonier, thus showing the highest authority in Florence.A power as absolute and total as the Medicis dynasty came to have, who still had sectors that hampered their return.
This is the historical situation in which our protagonist MiguelAngel, developed part of his work and specifically is the time in which the David Biblico enters history perhaps the most beautiful human sculpture ever created.
« Choose a man re and come against me.If I could fight with myself and defeat myself, we will be your servants; but if I prevail over him and kill him, you will be our slaves «
A little boy appeared from the crowd, a pastor named David. That boy put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, put it in the sling and shot.The giant struck the ground with a tremendous impact of the stone in the middle of his forehead.Running, David approached ael, took his sword and beheaded the giant Goliath.
The David of MiguelAngel | The birth of David
For centuries this story has served all generations as an example of value, security, to realize that anything, however large and difficult, we can overcome it if We propose it to us.This same story, time has also captivated the Florentines, who saw in their figure a reflection of the qualities of Florence.Value to face a small republic as was the Florentine, an entire Italian republic, and beauty, the one that Florence has in each corner of the city. On that September 13, 1501, David, the king of Israel, was bound to the history of Florence forever.
But it was not the original idea.The huge marble stone that took years (since the middle of the 15th century) stored on the property of the Wool Art (weavers' guild of Florence) was known as «the giant», before even being carved.It was intended for sculpture of a prophet for the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiori.It was the epoch of the papacy of Alexander VI, of Pope Borgia; it was the time just after the fall of the Medici in Florence, it was also the time when the star of a well-known Tuscan artist began to shine, Miguel Angel Buonarroti.
Carrara quarries
However, that stone did not end up in the first place at the hands of Michelangelo.It was Agostino di Duccio who faced such a task.It was the year 1460, and Di Duccio only emptied part of the marble, but in such a way that I leave the stone almost unusable.That is why that marble was left abandoned and He was hidden for so many years.
The turn of the century brought new ideas, such as facing the project again but dedicating it to David.The work was offered, and three artists volunteered: Andrea Sansovino, Leonardo da Vinci and Miguel Angel Buonarroti .The first was quickly discarded, and the choice was between the latter.Leonardo here Baba sculpting an immense terracotta horse for the Sforza of Milan, which unfortunately had been destroyed by French troops.Miguel Angel came from sculpting the superb Pieta in Rome.
The work began on September 13, 1501 .In the most absolute of secrets Michelangelo was locked up with his work, and only on June 23, 1503 did he let some of her see the citizens.In May 1504, Miguel Angel finished what is considered the most beautiful and perfect sculpture in the World.
But its History did not end there, because that the detail of its location was already a matter of controversy.Initially, the idea was to place it in the cathedral supported by a buttress, but then the rear view of the statue was lost, and between it, the vision of the sling that was going to the back.
Replica located in the place chosen by citizens
In January 1504, 32 renowned artists and citizens of the city of Florence gathered to find him a location.It was decided that it would be in the Piazza de la Signora .he stayed there, for that menacing look of the statue; those eyes that seemed to come alive in marble were a politically crucial issue.
Piazza de la Signora, to the right of the door of the Vecchio Palace is the replica
If they put it facing Pisa, it would mean Florence's desire to reconquer Pisa, a city that had already been Florentine.If he looked at Rome, it would seem a look of spite towards a place where Pope Alexander VI had sheltered the Medici who had been expelled from the city by the Florentine government.
Finally, However, the latter was chosen, and the rejection that it had among the plain people was such that in the four days that David's transfer from the workshop to his place of placement lasted, he was stoned. On September 8, 1504, the statue was inaugurated .
Size, weight and anatomy of David by MiguelAngel
The statue that represents the King David in his confrontation with the giant Goliath, measures no less than 4.10 meters high with a weight of 5.5 tons .It was carved on a block of Carrara marble, which for the Romans of then it was called "marble lunense".Today, the old David of Miguel Angel has more than 510 years and his anatomy involves some rather strange strokes.
To begin with and, according to the specialized sculptors, his head is too large for the age he represents, in which he also has the arms too long, and hands disproportionate.The hips are also too thin if we compare them with your torso.
However, there is no doubt that the sculpture is sculpted in a very thorough and detailed way despite having been erected on an abandoned marble block for more than 40 years in the workshops of the Duomo of Florence.If we look a little more, we can see what and his eyes are full of drama.
Although his muscles and anatomy make him be in constant tension, nor tendon marks neither the veins make him look violent.
Miguel David's David | Curiosities of David by MiguelAngel
1.The marble block where the sculpture was carved , had been discarded a dozen times before by other Renaissance artists.
2.The David of MiguelAngel is an orphan sculpture of brothers despite the fact that, at that time, the elaboration of 12 more sculptures that represented Old Testament characters, such as Josue, Jonas, Moses or Abraham .All of them would be placed outside the cathedral of Santa Maria de las Flores in Florence.
3.MiguelAngel did not want to wear any garment to his David because of snudez symbolized the man in harmony with nature and his native resistance to the elements.
4.The David de MiguelAngel has "lost weight" since its elaboration in 1504.Previously, The sculpture contained some elements of gold , especially at its base.These elements symbolized nobility, splendor, prosperity, wisdom, magnanimity, power and light in man.In gold they were excluded when, first, the Italian people rejected the statue.
5.It took 40 men and 4 full days to be able to transport the sculpture to its resting place to Piazza de la Signoria.
6.The decision to put David in that square raised a lot of controversy among the population, since the stature would be facing Rome, where Pope Alexander VI was based, who had sheltered the Medici.
Portrait of MiguelAngel
7.Many know that MiguelAngel was a man with a bad temper, a rude, unfriendly guy and not very in favor of making new Moreover, it is demonstrated that Leonardo and Vinci hated each other, and that he only maintained an exquisite friendship (who knows if anything else) with the poet Vittoria Colonna.
8.Not circumcised.Many did not understand how David, being of Jewish origin, since he represented the famous David who ended Goliath, was not circumcised. circumcision It takes place within a few years of life and, sometimes, within a few months of life, so many have gone astray and complained about an uncircumcised Jew .
This inconsistency was justified by some critics and historians of the time, explaining that it represented a vision Renaissance not only in this one, but in all the works of estaindole, where the human being did not become so attached to religion, but more to the original nature of being and the values of beauty .
9.Segun MiguelAngel, each marble block, has a soul, a latent work that was only covered by pieces of stone and had to recover rar of its interior.Starting from his way of seeing life in such an artistic way, it goes without saying that the shape of the marble, the faults and the fractures that that block had, let him know that there was the figure of David , which would be a work that would be in charge of clearing, until he found it.
He had a large hole in the left flank and, starting from there, he made David's body, rest on his right foot, getting a counterpoint in the figure and making the figure, his left side, sway slightly on the right side.
In the High Renaissance , a time of artists and creators, the counterpoint was a symbol of ancient sculpture, quite appreciated.That is why the face of David, he looks to the left and his hips are also oriented to the left, but his shoulders are turned to the right, so that he balanced to the figure and also, closely followed a trend.
The David of MiguelAngel | The look of David by MiguelAngel
His look has always been, slightly puckered.A strong and penetrating, balanced look that was able to melt the ice.I could show fierceness in the look, but also touches of tiredness and sadness.We are not talking about the look of David by MiguelAngel , but about what it reflects from its author.Something as volatile as a look, may have been captured by David's eyes, without that the creator realized, stealing part of his essence and immortalizing the gaze of an author who was leader, artist and followed by millions before and now.
They have talked about theories of how the look of David, is a support to look at the deepest of its author.Just as you need to look into the eyes of your work, you need that same look back, so the penetrating look of David , is a need to respond sta, to interfere in his work and the need to look at someone, who can give you the look back and can express what you really want.
Therefore, we talk about the look of MiguelAngel in David himself , something so personal and tanunic, engraved on marble.
Miguel David's David | The health of David de MiguelAngel
The famous David de MiguelAngel has been standing for more than half a century and that ends up carrying anyone's ankles, even if it is a sculpture of the Rebirth: Although not only the passage of time has made a dent in it, but we must add the continuous attacks and oversights to which it has been subjected.
The inclination of the sculpture is causing a uniformity of the podium on which it was located, not counting that it has remained many years outdoors in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.Also, in recent years it has undergone multiple cleanings and analysis, which also degrades its state .Because of this, in 2014 small fractures were discovered in the lower legs, although not responsibilities were sought.
During his history, David has had to endure many accidents.September 14, 1991, a man named Pietro Cannata attentive to the statue by hammering it on the left toe of the left toe.The finger was subsequently rebuilt and, to prevent repeated attacks, a completely armored glass structure was placed around the statue.
Miguel David's David | MiguelAngel, the creator of David
MiguelAngel was the young creator of David When the assignment was assigned he was only 26 years old.He had to "face "To another great man of the Renaissance to get the commission, Leonardo Da Vinci.Finally it was Michelangelo who got the commission, which would take 3 years to complete.
David is one of the most famous and well-known works MiguelAngel.However, throughout his prolific career there are many more works that have put MiguelAngel into the genius category of universal history.
Without a doubt, one of his most famous works is the decoration of the vault of the Sistine Chapel (1508-1512 ), another of the most famous and well-known works of art in history.The work was entrusted to MiguelAngel by Pope Julius II.The artist demanded full freedom for to the decoration of the vault, and this is how I create one of the most influential works in history, which changed the course of art.It would not be the last time that Miguel Angel would work in the Sistine Chapel.Between 1536 and 1541 he would make another great I work on the altar wall drawing The Last Judgment .
MiguelAngel was a very respected person in life by his coetaneos, in fact he was known by the nickname of ' The Divine '.He was the first person to have written two biographies of his life when he was still alive.In the first one,' Le vite de 'piu eccellenti pittori, scultori e architettori', MiguelAngel is the only artist of book that is still alive.Another of the biographies, 'Vita de Michelangelo Buonarroti', was written by his disciple Ascanio Condivi under the instructions of MiguelAngel himself.
In addition to the works that we have already mentioned, like David or the frescoes of the vault and the altar of the Sistine Chapel, MiguelAngel has many other works that are among the true artistic jewels of history.For example, in the field of sculpture we could name to La Piedad or El Moises .We could also cite the Cupula of St.Peter of the Vatican or the fresco of La Conversion de San Pablo .
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