Donatello, David

Donatello, David, ca. 1440-1460, Early Italian Renaissance

1) The first free-standing bronze nude statue since antiquity

2) Commissioned by the powerful, wealthy Medici family as a symbol of Florence (as the city prided itself on being a republic -- they removed tyrants)

3) Notable for the emphasis on David's youth, made explicit by his hat and long hair. The nudity was justified as "I have God on my side, I need no armor" and to show heroic moral virtue and excellence, as nudity did during classical times