David (Michelangelo)

Michelangelo, David, 1501-1504, High Italian Renaissance.

1) Commissioned by the Duomo as a challenge; the block of marble that David is carved from had previously stumped two masters. Upon its unexpected completion, it was placed in city hall in spite of the Medici family, who had just been removed from Florence

2) Psychologically engages the audience by portraying the moment intense moment of buildup, right before David battles against Goliath

3) Mathematically perfect in proportions except his right hand -- enlargened to signify the hand of God, which granted him to right to kill Goliath