Analysis of Michelangelo's sculpture of David. Artistic analysis of sculptural form

Venus de Milo (Aphrodite) - statue of the goddess of love surrounded by legends

Worldwide famous sculpture Venus de Milo, exhibited at the Louvre, is a standard female beauty- Unfortunately, he does not have both hands. This magnificent work of art, carved from white marble, was found on the southern Greek island of Milos in 1820, hence the name Milos.

She was found by a simple Greek peasant named Yurgos. Yurgos had no idea about archaeology. He went about his business: he cultivated the plot that belonged to him and fed his large family. He found Venus by accident. One day, while digging in his garden, he came across a stone slab, and then several hewn stones. These stones were highly valued on the island of Milos, where Yurgos lived. Local peasants, without particularly racking their brains over their origin, used them to build houses. Yurgos continued his excavations. Imagine his surprise when he suddenly discovered a kind of niche, and in it a magnificent marble statue of a half-naked woman of rare beauty. In the niche were two more figurines of Hermes, as scientists later determined, and several marble trinkets.

Yurgos realized that he had found something much more valuable than a pair of hewn stone slabs. He moved his find to a barn, and then, or so they usually say, sold it to a certain Marcelus, secretary of the French embassy in Istanbul.

There is only one thing that upsets us: this marvelous statue, which became a kind of synonym for ideal female beauty, like Apollo Belvedere for men, had its own flaw: Venus’s hands were knocked off. This one - with stumps instead of arms - can still be seen in the Louvre; This is how she is represented in countless reproductions.

Where and when, under what circumstances did Venus de Milo lose her hands? Few people have a clue to all this. known history This is (a story about it was preserved in the unpublished memoirs of Dumont-D'Urville and partly in Matterer). Durville and Matterer did not buy Venus - it turned out to be beyond their means. They returned to their ship. A few days later the ship arrived in Istanbul. The ship's officers were invited to the French embassy. During the reception, Dumont-Durville spoke about Yurgos' discovery. The embassy secretary, Marcellus, literally, almost on the same day, departs on behalf of the ambassador on a special ship under the command of Lieutenant Robert to the island of Milos. Three days later he delivered the statue to Athens. But by this time Venus was already without arms. What happened? statue goddess art marble

Dumont-Durville writes about it this way: “As far as one can judge, the peasant, who was tired of waiting for buyers, lowered the price and sold it to a local priest. He wanted to present it as a gift to the translator of the Pasha of Constantinople. Mr. Marcelus arrived just at the moment when the statue was about to be loaded onto a ship for shipment to Constantinople. Seeing that this magnificent find was slipping from his hands, he took all measures to obtain it, and the priest, in the end, not without resistance, agreed to give it up.

But Durville is not entirely accurate: the priest did not even think of giving up the statue. On the contrary, he categorically refused to sell it. Then Marcelus demanded two dozen sailors from Robert, deciding, as Matterer writes, to free the goddess, no matter the cost. A real fight ensued. In this skirmish the French gained the upper hand. During the fight, Venus was thrown on the road and trampled into the mud, and her hands were beaten off.

This is the ugly truth. That is why Matterer, fearing a diplomatic scandal - in 1842 all the “heroes” of this story and, above all, Ambassador de Riviere were still alive - tried to hide it and only later described everything as it happened. This is why Dumont-Durville is so diplomatically cautious in his memoirs. This is why, finally, the Venus de Milo has no arms.

The figure of the goddess of love is devoid of arms and covered with chips, but once you see her you will never forget her beauty and proud image. A slight tilt of the small head on a slender neck, one shoulder slightly raised, the other slightly lowered, a flexible, curved figure. The tenderness and softness of the skin is set off by the cape sliding onto the hips. And it is impossible to take your eyes off the sculpture, permeated with femininity and lyricism, without doubting for a minute that before your eyes there is perfection - the goddess of love.

Russian writers who found themselves in the Paris Louvre in different years could not pass by this perfection created by human inspiration and skill.

Afanasy Fet - Venus de Milo

And chaste and bold,

Shining naked to the loins,

The divine body blooms

Unfading beauty.

Under this whimsical canopy

Slightly raised hair

How much proud bliss

It overflowed in the heavenly face!

So, all breathing with pathos passion,

All wet with sea foam

And wafting with all-victorious power,

You look into eternity before you.

1856. Currently, the statue of the Venus de Milo is kept on the 1st floor of the Louvre in a small round room, completing the suite of halls of the Department of Ancient Art, and not a single exhibit in any of them is pushed into the middle. Therefore, Venus is visible from afar - a low sculpture, appearing like a white ghost against the foggy background of gray walls.

When visitors enter the Louvre, they usually ask two questions: how to get to the Venus de Milo (this Roman name is also called greek goddess) and where is Gioconda located?

1) The location of the sculpture (closed space, open area), and is it therefore designed for a certain point of view?

2) The size of the sculpture, how it interacts with space and man in this case, the problem of the pedestal (its absence, presence)

3) Sculptural/architectural ensemble (is it part of it, what place does it occupy in it)

4) Three-dimensionality of the image itself (round sculpture, relief: bas-relief/high-relief/counter-relief)

5) Material, the reason for choosing this particular material, its expressive features, production method (negative, positive) Color characteristics: the color of the material itself, coloring, relationship with light

6) Processing method and texture of the material in different parts

7) Closedness/openness of the figure, type of movement: open/closed, chiasmus/contraposto/none

8) Transfer of the plot, its historical significance

9) General impression of the sculptural work

David, Michelangelo. The work is colossal in size (more than 5 meters). Was first presented to the public at large area next to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. She clearly dominated the viewer and the surrounding space. It stands on a small pedestal that imitates the ground and does not distance the figure too much from the viewer. The sculpture was intended for all-round viewing from a fairly large distance; the most expressive point of view can be considered when David’s gaze is directly fixed on the viewer. The sculpture was absolutely independent. It was made of marble, the most life-like material, but in the movement of David himself one can feel the size of the block, beyond which the sculptor cannot go. Marble involves a negative working technique, when a figure begins to stand out from a common, large piece by extracting volumes (it is very difficult to immediately imagine in what place and how much must be removed to get the desired result). The author makes positive use of a light-colored stone: firstly, its warm tone brings the statue closer to the person, and secondly, it visually reduces the mass, which is why the figure of David does not seem so heavy and huge to us. The main texture conveyed is the human body. Michelangelo carefully polishes the surface, but does not go into very fine detail, as a result of which the figure seems very organic to us with a very smooth silhouette. Open composition. The main movement is concentrated within the character himself: his decisive look, the intensity of his facial features, his pose itself. He rests on one leg, the other leg is relaxed, a clear division of the vertical figure into static and dynamic halves. Another innovation of Michelangelo was that he depicted David before the fight with Goliath, which adds even more tragedy. Thus, we are presented with a colossal hero, confident in his strength and ability to overcome any obstacle, regardless of anything. His entire image reflects heroic pathos.

Adam with an apple, Salzburg master of the first half of the 16th century.

The very small sculpture probably should have stood in some niche in an enclosed space. It does not require a specific point of view, but must be perceived from a fairly close distance. The figure of Adam stands on a fairly large pedestal made of a different material, which greatly separates him from environment. Unfortunately, it is not known for sure whether he was part of the sculptural ensemble, but judging by appearance it can be assumed that it stood separately. Before us is a three-dimensional sculpture, well processed from all sides, but due to its location does not imply inspection of the rear plane. The figure of Adam is made from wood of a warm shade. It involves working in a negative technique, a cutting technique. This material is quite difficult to work with, because the author is limited not only by the size of the block, but also by the direction of the wood fiber, because working perpendicular to it is extremely inconvenient. The color of the material itself is quite dark, but its warmth adds life to the figure itself. The wood allows for a very smooth polish. A very subtle play of light on the surface reflects it. Excellent rendition of hair curls. Open pose, one noticeable certain limitation of movement caused by a certain size of the workpiece. Chiasmus: support on one leg, arms spread in different directions. The angularity of the entire figure is also noticeable - the influence of the structure of the tree on the sculpture. In general, it seems that the viewer is looking at a small and very fragile sculpture, which, because of this, even seems somewhat atectonic.

Statue of the scribe Kaya, ser. 3 millennium BC

Before us is a sculpture that should be located in the funeral complex of a nobleman. It was not intended to be often in public view, but rather was performed as an obligatory part architectural building. The figure is of medium size, slightly smaller than the life itself, but should have been located on a high pedestal and stood out from the background of people. The statue is one of the main sculptural decorations in the pyramid of the scribe Kaya. This figure is a three-dimensional image, but it obeys the law of frontality: it is assumed that it will be viewed either in profile or from the front, without using angular perception. The sculpture was made of sandstone, a standard material for this country and era. The material processing technique involves the use of negative cutting techniques. Masterful work on different parts of the body, especially the long arms. The material is quite porous, which is why the surface of the work is quite uneven, but the works were always painted. It is because of this fact that the surface seems quite smooth to us. Before us is a closed and extremely static sculpture. There is no internal or external movement in it, which was characteristic of ancient Egyptian sculpture. IN in this case the author follows all the canons of depicting the figure of a scribe: sitting in a lotus position, holding a scroll in his hands, a straight-forward gaze, the presence of human features (for example, folds of the abdomen). This is how the royal scribe appears before us, with his narrow lips tightly compressed and his eyes keenly looking - a reflection of the mixed expression of restraint, readiness to obey and cunning that an outstanding royal confidant should have.

Donatello, Herod's Feast, 1427-1428. Decoration of the Siena font.

settle it down sculptural work should be in the decoration of the Siena font among several other similar decorations. It's not enough great work in size suggests viewing from a fairly close distance, has something in the style of the frame, because of which characters separated from the viewer's space. We are presented with a relief that has some promising reduction in volume: the front figures are quite strongly separated from the plane (high relief), but the rear architectural scenery almost does not stand out (low relief). Because of this, it assumes exclusively one point of view from which all the figures would be visible without reduction. The relief is made of bronze, which allows you to model absolutely any shape, any degree of elaboration of certain parts. Manufacturing method: casting. The bronze surface can be called quite active: in the figures there is a smooth surface, which very actively reflects light, the background is a finely detailed, rougher surface, which is why it reflects light more softly. In this case, the characteristics of movement and stability of the figures should be characterized almost as painting. Active movement of figures. In the foreground is an image of a warrior from Salome, in the background are Herod's tablemates. The central group is a warrior who holds out a dish with a severed head, and Herod, who moves away from him in horror. And dancing Salome remains calm even in such a situation. Complex composition. Thus, we are presented with one of the examples of “picturesque” relief, in which pictorial and sculptural forms of expression play almost the same role.

Portrait of Septimius Severus, 3rd century.

Not a very large work, standing in a closed space and not designed for viewing the rear plane. A very specific type of sculpture is a bust. Such unnaturalness immediately alienates him from the viewer. A single sculpture needed to decorate a space. Material - marble, great vitality, fine elaboration of different textures: curly hair and a beard, folded clothes, a tense and extremely smooth face. It absorbs light, resulting in a soft glow that enlivens the figure. There is exclusively internal movement, which is completely concentrated on the face: tense muscles of the cheekbones, gaze directed forward. The rotation of the head relative to the shoulders reflects the confidence and greatness of the depicted emperor. An attempt to convey not only the external, but also the internal characteristics of a person.

M
We move on to the analysis of works of sculpture. Unfortunately, we are forced to study the works of sculpture masters from photographs. It is impossible to provide a sufficient number of illustrations, so the reader will have to look for literature in which the analyzed monuments are reproduced from different angles. It is necessary to remember that sculpture is a three-dimensional, three-dimensional art, and when looking at a reproduction, try to imagine the work itself in life-size .

AGESANDER (or ALEXANDER).

Statue of Aphrodite from the island of Melos (Venus de Milo).

The European idea of the ideal of female beauty is largely associated with the statue of Aphrodite, found in early XIX centuries on the Greek island of Melos (Milos), more often referred to colloquially as the Venus de Milo. We do not know who its author was: an inscription was found next to the statue, where several letters were preserved (the rest were destroyed by time), which suggest that his name was Alexander or Agesander. It is also difficult to pinpoint the exact time of its creation. Researchers most often date the statue to the 2nd century BC. e.

The statue of Aphrodite de Milo represents a half-naked female figure. Her hands were lost in ancient times. Most often the statue is photographed from the front, so it is difficult to get a complete picture of it: this requires a circular walk. ( Topc The statue is not only curved, but also quite strongly tilted forward, where the left leg is extended and bent at the knee.) When viewed from the front, the dynamics of the statue are almost completely lost - the helical rotation and tilt.

It is assumed that Aphrodite held an apple (considered a symbol of the island of Melos) in one hand and held her flowing robe with the other. The statue is composed of two parts: the lower one, draped, is made of yellowish marble, the upper one is made of white, cooler in tone.

The time when the statue was created is the so-called Hellenistic era, when artistic creativity the ancient Greeks reflected the most diverse aspects of life and various psychological states, an exaggerated idea of royal greatness (the so-called “Statue of the Diadochos”), the tragedy of physical and moral suffering (the famous sculptural group “Laocoon”), human ugliness (figurines of old women and grimacing jesters), physical strength (“Belvedere torso”) and much more. Against this background is a statue of Aphrodite from the island Melos looks like the embodiment of an ideal. Several centuries earlier, during the classical era Greek culture(V - IV centuries BC), numerous works of art have already been created expressing the idea of ideal person. However, almost all of them have not survived; we most often have an approximate idea of them from late Roman copies. That is why the statue of Aphrodite de Milo is so popular - it is undoubtedly an original.

The image of Aphrodite, embodied in this statue, is characterized by internal movement and development) Main topic statues - sublime, clear beauty - is revealed gradually. If you look at the statue on the right (that is, at the left side of the statue itself), then the movement is most pronounced here. It has a wave-like character: starting at the left foot, it develops to the extended knee and then to the thigh.

Here this movement is superimposed on a feeling of unease, generated by the chaotic folds of clothing, but softened by the yellowish, warm tone of the stone itself. Above the hips there is a naked torso bent forward. The nature of this movement is calmer, the lines of the torso are smooth and fluid. However, in the upper part of the statue, in the image of the head, restless movement appears again; here wavy strands of hair flow, slightly swirling. But now everything calms down: Aphrodite’s face is impeccably correct, impassive, motionless - it’s a clear, classic profile. The marble here is pure white. The motive of movement develops somewhat differently on the right side of the statue. But it is carried out most calmly if you look at the statue from the front.

The same theme varies from all angles: from restless movement towards peace, from chaos to clarity and harmony. This is how the feeling is born that eternal, intelligent beauty rises above everything random, changeable, and chaotic.

For all its femininity, the beauty of the goddess is distinguished in this statue by some special power; for all the ideality of its forms, it contains amazing vitality. Behind generalized masses and contours

you can feel the muscles of the body. As for surface treatment, the sculptor achieved extraordinary subtlety here. It seems that elusive highlights and transparent shadows are sliding across the marble, as if in front of us is not a stone, but a living body.

WITH
The tattoo of Aphrodite de Milo has repeatedly brought to life literary works. Among them: the story by Gleb Uspensky “Straightened”, as well as a poem by A. A. Fet:

Both chaste and bold,

Shining naked to the loins,

The divine body blooms with unfading beauty.

Under this whimsical canopy

Slightly raised hair

How much proud bliss

It overflowed in the heavenly face!

So, all breathing with pathos passion,

All wet with sea foam

And wafting with all-victorious power,

You look into eternity before you.

The poet was able to feel and express in words the ethical and aesthetic height of the image. The Hellenistic era was complex and difficult. In the art of that time, either the sensual principle, or the pathos of bodily movement, and spectacular imposingness were most often emphasized. However, the creator of Aphrodite de Milo strove for a high idea of the ideal, which developed back in the 5th century BC. e. and assumed the unity of physical beauty and spiritual nobility, when passion is inseparable from purity, movement from peace, perfection from inner moral strength.

Literature A

AlpatovM.V. Artistic problems art Ancient Greece. - M.: Art, 1987.

B a k u sh i n s k i y A. V. Research and articles. - M.: Sov. artist, 1981.

General history of art. In 6 volumes. T. 1. - M.: Art, 1956.

DmitrievaN.A. Brief history arts Vol. 1. - M.: Art, 1985.

KolpinskyYu. D. The great heritage of ancient Hellas and its significance for modern times. M.: Depict, art,

FieldV. M. Art of Greece. Ancient world.-M.:Sov. artist, 1984,

RivkinB.I. Antique art. - M.: Art, 1972. QUESTIONS AND TASKS What are the visual and expressive capabilities marble as a material for sculpture? Visit Nizhny Novgorod art museum and get acquainted with the works of sculpture made of marble stored there. Write a description of the statue of Aphrodite from the island of Melos. Using the indicated literature, study other works of sculpture from the Hellenistic era (“Belvedere Torso”, “Laocoon”, “Gifts of Atgal”, etc.). What makes the statue we examined stand out among them?The State Hermitage (St. Petersburg) houses the famous ancient statue - Venus of Tauride. Its reproduction can be found in literature dedicated to the Hermitage. Compare both statues. Which one has more expressive silhouette? Which statue is richer in plastic terms?

The goddess of love and female beauty among the ancient Greeks was Aphrodite, and among the Romans - Venus. Therefore, it is more correct to call the statue Aphrodite from the island of Melos.

According to one version of the myth, Aphrodite was born from sea foam; her epithet "anadyomene" means "foam-born".

Sample Questions for Analyzing a Work of Art

Emotional level:

What impression does the work make?

What sensations might the viewer experience?

What is the nature of the work?

How do its scale, format, horizontal, vertical or diagonal arrangement of parts, the use of certain architectural forms, the use of certain colors in a painting and the distribution of light in an architectural monument?

Subject level:

What (or who) is shown in the picture?

What does the viewer see when standing in front of the façade? In interiors?

Who do you see in the sculpture?

Highlight the main thing from what you saw.

Try to explain why exactly this seems important to you?

By what means does an artist (architect, composer) highlight the main thing?

How are objects arranged in the work (subject composition)?

How are the main lines drawn in the work (linear composition)?

As in architectural structure Are volumes and spaces compared (architectural composition)?

Story level:

Try to retell the plot of the picture.

Try to imagine what events can occur more often in this architectural structure.

What can this sculpture do (or say) if it comes to life?

Symbolic level:

Are there objects in the work that symbolize something?

Are the composition of the work and its main elements symbolic in nature: horizontal, vertical, diagonal, circle, oval, color, cube, dome, arch, vault, wall, tower, spire, gesture, pose, clothing, rhythm, timbre, etc. .?

What is the title of the work? How does it relate to its plot and symbolism?

Source: Internet

Analysis plan for a painting

2.Style, direction.

3.Type of painting: easel, monumental (fresco, tempera, mosaic).

4.Selection of material (for easel painting): oil paints, watercolor, gouache, pastel. Characteristics of the use of this material for the artist.

5.Genre of painting (portrait, landscape, still life, history painting, panorama, diorama, icon painting, marina, mythological genre, everyday genre). Characteristics of the genre for the artist’s works.

6. Picturesque plot. Symbolic content (if any).

7.Pictorial characteristics of the work:

Flatness;

Color;

Artistic space (space transformed by the artist);

9. Personal impression received while viewing the work.

Sculptural work analysis plan

2.Style, direction.

3.Type of sculpture: round sculpture, monumental sculpture, small sculpture, relief and its variety (bas-relief, high relief), sculptural portrait, herma, etc.

4.Selection of model (actually existing person, animal, artist’s fantasy, allegorical image).

5.Plastic (body language), black and white modeling.

6.Interaction with the environment: sculpture color

(coloring) and color background of the environment, lighting effects (backlight); sculpture as an element of architecture, free-standing statue, etc.

7. Selection of material and its conditioning (marble, granite, wood, bronze, clay, etc.).

8.National characteristics.

9. Personal perception of the monument.

Analysis plan for an architectural work

2. Style, direction. Architecture of large or small forms.

3. Place in the architectural ensemble (inclusion, isolation,

correlation with the landscape, the role of organic detail, etc.). Tectonics: wall systems, masonry, post-valve

structure, frame structure, vaulted structure, modern

spatial design (folded, screw, etc.).

4. The material used and its participation in creating a special architectural appearance. The nature of his work is in the design (pillars - carry, vaults - spring, cornices - rest, arches - rise, domes - crown, etc.).

5. The originality of the architectural language in a particular work,

expressed through:

Symmetry, dissymmetry, asymmetry;

Rhythm of parts, details;

Volume (flat out, vertically narrowed, cubic, etc.);

Proportions (harmony of details and parts);

Contrast (opposition of forms);

Silhouette (external contours);

Scale (relationship with a person);

Surface color and texture.

7. National features of the structure.

8. The presence of a synthesis of arts (the connection between architecture and sculpture and painting).

9. Personal impressions.

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UVO MOSCOW ART AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE

Department of Graphic Design

ABSTRACT

discipline: "Aesthetics"

on the topic: “Analysis of the sculpture of Michelangelo’s David”

Completed:

4th year student, gr. GD 4-01-11

Bratolyubova Maria Olegovna

Checked:

Chikaeva T.A.

Moscow, 2014

The subject of the review analysis is the creation of the Italian Michelangelo Buonarroti, which has been an integral part of academic education for centuries. Everyone who is interested in art has a personal relationship with a brilliant sculpture. They were also very personal for the young sculptor. In the work under review I want to talk about my relationship with the ancient beauty and his great creator, as well as analyze this sculpture.

The aesthetics of sculptures is one of the important and relevant topics in our time. The relevance of my research determined the purpose of the work: consideration of the aesthetics of the sculpture of this giant, as his contemporaries called him. The main issue of the work is the symbol of the greatest Italian cultural heritage.

David is a marble statue by Michelangelo, first presented to Florentine society on September 8, 1504. Since then, the five-meter statue began to be perceived as a symbol of the Florentine Republic and one of the peaks of not only the art of the Renaissance, but also of human genius in general. Currently, the original statue is in the Academy fine arts in Florence.

When analyzing works of sculpture, it is necessary to take into account the own parameters of sculpture as an art form. Sculpture is an art form in which a real three-dimensional volume interacts with the three-dimensional space surrounding it. Therefore, we will analyze volume, space and how they interact. Let's take a closer look at this. michelangelo david aesthetic value

The sculpture of David is monumental, as already mentioned, 5 meters high. This is important because size affects how the statue interacts with the space. Initially, the sculpture was intended for all-round viewing. Long before creation a work of genius Michelangelo had a long-standing dream of installing huge sculptures on the roof of the Florence Cathedral. Doubts, hesitations about the material and choice of the artist, as well as unsuccessful attempts to create and raise large statues to a height continued for decades. Then the order passed into the hands of Michelangelo and only when he finished his Giant and it turned out that it would not be possible to lift it to the roof. A special commission, which included Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Sangallo, found a suitable place for it in the square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, the palace of the Florentine government. A special mechanism was built to transport the statue, and on September 8, 1504, “David” was erected in front of the palace. Therefore, one feature recalls the original idea of placing "David" on the roof: towering on the cathedral against the sky, the upper part of the statue would appear smaller than against another background. A perspective reduction would also occur with such a viewer's point of view. Taking this into account, the sculptor slightly enlarged it, which is actually not very noticeable. The work in question covers three-dimensional space originally associated with architecture, i.e. was intended to be an architectural and sculptural form. But even when examining the cast of the figure in Moscow, in State Museum fine arts them. A.S. Pushkin, it looks impressive and does not interfere with aesthetic pleasure at all. Quite the contrary. It seems to me that if he were on the roof, he would not be so impressive with his size. It turns out that he turned out to be a giant by accident. But only externally, because... inner greatness was still inherent Italian master. When examining the sculpture from a close distance (as the sculptor was when he manually worked on it with a chisel and hammer), you realize that what a small proportion of the overall appearance is visible. After all, he brought all the parts together, not only in a harmoniously balanced way, but also conveyed greatness and patriotism. Michelangelo won this battle against odds, just like David himself according to historical legend.

I wonder what material the sculpture was made in, what are the features of this material and why this particular material was chosen for this work? Statue of David made of marble. Asking the question of choosing a material in order to further ensure the raising of the sculpture to the roof, the masters Donatello and Brunelleschi thought of making them from light wood, upholstered with metal for strength, and painted like marble; They also offered other materials. But the Florentines still relied on the power of the new technology, and in the middle of the 15th century. a huge block of marble was prepared for the first figure. The order for the large “David” was received by Agostino di Duccio. But he had little experience in working with sculptures, only reliefs, but he often helped Donatello in such works. All he had to do was trim the block, and Donatello would get down to business. But Donatello died, and the block remained there for half a century, until they found a sculptor who could be entrusted with such work. That is what Michelangelo became. By 1501, when he began working on the statue, he was already the author of such masterpieces as the reliefs “Madonna of the Stairs” and “Battle of the Centaurs”, “Lamentation” and “Madonna”. Therefore, the cathedral management chose him for such a responsible job and entrusted him with this valuable material. I think the choice of this material also depended on the color.

The statue, intended for all-round viewing, in my opinion, has both fixed points of view and is fully revealed when walking around. I think this sculpture has some complete, expressive silhouettes.

As I know, according to legend, the young man is preparing for the upcoming battle with Goliath, who surpasses him in strength. This was a kind of innovation, because Michelangelo's predecessors always depicted him in a moment of triumph after a victorious battle with a giant. The artist managed to show, on the one hand, calmness, equanimity, and on the other hand, concentration; it is clear that his muscles are tense, his eyebrows are menacingly knitted, something frightening can be read in them. This is incredible. He threw a sling over his left shoulder, the lower tip of which caught him right hand. In this free pose of the hero, preparation for a deadly movement is felt. And indeed, inner composure is felt throughout the entire figure, especially in the keen gaze, but the body is not tense. David stands calmly and freely. I was especially struck by how detailed and natural Michelangelo created the powerful, peasant hands of the young man - it is not surprising that with their help it was possible to kill the giant Goliath with a sling.

Thus, “David”, placed in the center of Florence, began to be perceived as a patriotic symbol - the image of the defender of the city. This is the first large image of heroic nudity in sculpture since antiquity. And my favorite and one of the most impressive sculptures!

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