The David

Posted by Jen
Saturday, July 17, 2010


David Schwimmer and Zoe Buckman outside The Accademia Gallery.
Photo via here.

A few days ago, I admired Michelangelo’s David just a few feet away from these two. My mom was the one from our group to notice them sitting on a bench. I almost didn’t know. We must have made it inside The Accademia before the photographers were snapping shots of them on the street (there were lots of celebrity sightings, I’m sure. The wedding of Emily Blunt and John Krasinski took place just a few days prior in Como, Italy). There was no hubbub inside, to speak of. As adorable a couple as they were (she is super chic, by the way), the fascination was in the sculpture, as it should have been.


So, the David: he made no less of an impression on me as first time I saw him. I could have stared at him hours on end, from every angle. This sculpture was very different than earlier, sculpted interpretations of David. The others depicted him the moment after battle, foot on the head of Goliath and sword in hand. There are two schools of thought: was this moments before the ensuing battle, or was he contemplating his victory? Florence saw itself as a young David that had to contend with giants in the form of the Pope, the King of Naples, The Duke of Milan, and the Doge of Venice. Commissioned in 1501 as a testament to the pride of the Florentine Republic, Michelangelo worked from a left-over piece of marble that was abandoned by two other artists and it took him 3 years to complete the masterpiece. After debate, it was decided by a committee of the highest ranking citizens and artists, including da Vinci and Bottecelli, to place David in the main piazza, in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall. A symbol of Strength and Wrath, his eyes were cast towards Rome.

I enjoyed my time at The Accademia more this time than last. We had a tour guide and she was fabulous. It’s much better to hear the stories and interpretations rather than to read abbreviated descriptions. After soaking in as much as we could in our given time, it was off to the Uffizi Gallery. Sadly, no George Clooney sighting…


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