In the center of Florence at Piazza della Signoria, stands one of the most iconic sculptures from the Renaissance, Michelangelo’s David. Daily looked upon by hundreds of tourists, its sheer size and beauty make it not noticeable. Although the one standing at the Piazza is a copy, the original statue can be found at Galleria dell’Accademia Firenze where it was relocated in 1873. While it is today seen as a tourist attraction, it had a deep political value during the Renaissance. At the beginning of the 15th century, it was commissioned among several other statues that were used to establish the Republic as the new ruler of Florence. After exiling the former rulers known as the Medici, the Republic was seeking ways to undermine its reputation while promoting its own.
The intentions behind the work were to make it into a symbol of the new protector of the state, showing power and wealth. The statue, therefore, held a political meaning, which we can conclude by its very location and the interpretation of its biblical story. Compared to contemporary versions of the young hero, Michelangelo’s David distinguishes itself and presents a new naturalistic side.
Renaissance Florence and the commission of David
The Renaissance was a period that took place between the 14th and 17th centuries in which Europe transitioned from the Middle Ages to modernity. After a long period where few advances within science and art were made, humanism began to take root at the beginning of the 14th century. This cultural movement believed that man was the center of the universe and ideas from ancient Rome and Greek was reborn within art, politics, science, and economics that spread across Europe.1
During the Renaissance time, the city of Florence became the center for innovation and art.2 Due to its banking and wool trading, the city had grown into one of prosperity and a rich culture. Buildings and art were commissioned by the state to show off its wealth to citizens and visitors alike. In 1501 the committee, which oversaw all the work done for the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore commonly known as the Duomo, had several statues be made of prophets from the Old Testament. The group of statues was to be placed on the balcony of the cathedral to show the city’s greatness and devotion to art.3
There was another motive behind the commissioning; the state wanted to demonstrate its power as the ruler. Since the 13th century, Florence had been a republic ruled by the city elite, a small group of wealthy and powerful families. Although they were the only ones with the privilege of holding office, legislation prevented a single family from taking the power. Despite this, the Medici family was able to establish themselves as the city's unofficial rulers. They had built their wealth through banking and used this asset as well as their influence over the Pope due to them being the official bankers of the Vatican state, to gain power. An important part of their strategy was the commissioning of art, which gained them the favor of the people. During the time of Lorenzo de Medici, the family held great power over the government, while supporting the appearance of a Republic. When Lorenzo’s son Piero became head of the family, he undermined the government by making his own political decisions, therefore shattering the fiction of them being indifferent to their influence. As a result, they were exiled from Florence. With the Medici gone, the state of Florence was in need of a new ruler. The Republic seized this opportunity to make itself appear as the new protector of the city. Just as the Medici had used art to gain influence, the government sought to do the same by commissioning art as a visual tool for propaganda. As not everyone had the skill to read, art was a way of communicating political ideas without words. Amongst the commissions made were the statues meant for the Duomo.4
One of the prophets created for the Cathedral was David and the commissioning was given to Michelangelo. Michelangelo Buonarroti was born in 1475 in a village outside of Florence called Caprese. At the age of 12, Michelangelo was sent to Florence to be an apprentice for Domenico Ghirlandaio, a successful and respected painter within the Florentine society. Later he was seen working in the Medici gardens by order of Lorenzo the Magnificent himself amongst other known artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli. After spending several years in Rome, the now 26-year-old artist sought after the commission for David to be able to show his talent.5
During his stay in Rome, he had become a known artist after he made La Pietà for the Vatican in 1499.6 He was therefore chosen to sculpt David with a given timeframe of one and a half years for the completion. The Opera del Duomo provided him with the material as well as a total salary of 300 florins. They agreed that further compensation might be given after completion of the work if the statute was satisfactory. During their work progress, Michelangelo keeps an air of mystery around his work by having walls built around the marble block to keep prying eyes away. He is said to have been restless and persistent in his work on the David and in the end, he was paid 400 florins which were considered a generous amount of money at the time. In the two years given, Michelangelo had created a masterpiece beyond expectations.7
Its political value and placement
The statues of the prophets were meant to be placed on the balcony of the Cathedral to be viewed from the street by the public crowd. By the completion of David, the commissioner was amazed by its beauty and sought to find a new placement for the statue that would better suit its artistic value but also its political subjects.8
As the statue was a symbol of the renewed Republic and how they had taken the power from the Medici, they needed a political strategic location for the statue. In 1504 a meeting between representatives from the government and the Opera was held to agree on the location for David. The political and artistic significance of this statue had known artists such as Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Filippino Lippi attended the meeting as well. Amongst the ones who wanted the statue to be seen as an anti-Medici symbol, there were arguments on having David take Judith's place outside of the city hall. The sculpture of Judith and Holofernes made by Donatello was commissioned by the Medici family and was therefore a symbol of their wealth and power. As it was located outside of the city hall, it was seen as if the Medici still held power over the government, which the Republic found unfitting.9 Many other locations were suggested through the meeting such as in front of the Duomo, by Piazza San Giovanni, or the courtyard of the Signoria.
In the end, it was settled that David would be placed on the platform in front of the city hall at Piazza della Signoria right by the entrance. There it could be admired as an example of Florentine craftsmanship, whilst mediating its political statement. Standing right outside the heart of Florence's political quarters, it showed the Republic’s power and wealth while undermining that of the Biblical story and comparison to similar work
The story of David comes from the Old Testament and tells about how a young shepherd defends his country by slaying the giant Goliath. Set in a time of war between Israel and the Philistines, the warrior Goliath challenged Israel to send their greatest champion to defeat him but none dare face the giant. Instead, the simple but brave shepherd David goes up against the giant with only his sling and stones. He hits Goliath's head with a stone and then cuts off his head using the giant’s own sword. The Philistines admit defeat and David becomes a hero.11
David is therefore not only a war hero but also a symbol of bravery. The story can be interpreted as the weaker defeating the colossal with the help of God. When David was commissioned, it is not unlikely that he was meant as a symbol of the Republics' victory over the Medici. Since they held the role of a powerful and strong enemy in the eyes of the Republic, their exile can be interpreted as the government’s victory over them just as David's victory over Goliath. David, therefore, has political value as a symbol of the Republic’s power.12
The subject of David and his victory over Goliath was popular during the Renaissance. Most artists portrayed him as the biblical story of a young hero standing with Goliath's head and sword as symbols of victory over the giant. Both Verrocchio’s David made in 1470 and Donatello’s marble David made in 1409 follows this concept. They are both dressed like a Roman soldier with proud postures and confident looks. Around 1440, Donatello made a bronze statue of David that derives from his earlier one. Due to the influence of antique sculptures, this David was made in the nude.
He is portrayed as a young boy standing with the giant’s sword but in a less self-confident pose and with an almost uncertain expression. It was one of the first sculptures made in the round, which means that the statue had a back. At the time, most sculptures were intended only to be seen from the front, which meant that they didn't need a back.13
Just like Donatello, Michelangelo sculpted a nude David in the round as it was meant to be seen from different angles. The proportions are adapted to its original placement high up on the Cathedral where it would be viewed from below. Michelangelo had a fascination for the human body and studied it by dissecting corpses. He used this knowledge when sculpting, which can be observed through David's natural posture and detailed muscles. While the subjects of David were nothing new, Michelangelo's way of portraying him was a big contrast compared to that of Verrocchio and Donatello. While they captured David after his battle with Goliath, standing with the sword and head as in victory, Michelangelo's portrayed his David right before the battle. In his hand, he holds a rock while the sling rest on his shoulder, the objects used to slay the giant. His expression is concerned yet determined, as he has not yet defeated his enemy. This less self-confident and more worried David does not only diverge from the other sculptures of the hero but also the biblical one. In the story, the young shepherd is described as brave and almost arrogant. This new side of David, which Michelangelo portrays, makes him more humanistic. We are presented with a brave boy who is about to face a much greater and more powerful opponent and therefore shows a hint of doubt. It is unclear if this was the version of David that the commissioner had in mind but it is one of the reasons for its beauty.1415
Conclusion
Michelangelo’s David is unlike any other statue during its time. After understanding its pre-historic context and the political climate at the time, we can come to the conclusion that there was a strong political influence over the commissioning of this statue. As the renewed Republic had the intention of establishing themselves as the new rulers with the Medici gone, art became part of their program for political propaganda to strengthen their influence and reputation.
David was the symbol of the government’s power and was therefore placed in the heart of Florence, right outside the City hall to demonstrate the Republics' strength and victory. Compared to similar works of Donatello and Verrocchio, this David has a whole new dimension to its character and does not only show a new scene from the story, but a new humanistic side of the hero. He is portrayed before his victory over the giant rather than after like the other statues and therefore lacks the classic biblical element such as the giant's head and sword. His concentrated and tensed expression and posture are subject to interpretation and amazement even today. While the motive behind the commissioning of David was for it to be used in advertising the state’s political agenda, they probably did not know how big of an impact this statue would resonate.
Standing today in the Accademia, I feel myself admiring it amongst many other tourists, who, like myself, are amazed by its very size and beauty but unaffected by its political tension. While it is still a symbol for Florence, its political value has diminished with time and today it has a cultural value rather than a political one. David will always be a symbol beyond its beauty.
Bibliography:
Hartt, F. G. Wilkins, D (1969) History of Italian Renaissance Art (7th edition). Pearson
Levine, S. (1974) The Location of Michelangelo's David: The Meeting of January 25, 1504(Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 31-49). New York, College Art Association
Paoletti, J.T. (2015). Michelangelo’s David: Florentine History and Civic Identity (upplaga). Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
Websites:
https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/renaissance
https://www.khanacademy.org/
https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng