The City Hall of Florence towers over its Main Square [Piazza] and, adjacent to its front doors is the statue of David by Michelangelo. The original once stood here but now it is a copy due to the damage done to the statue by weather and humans. The Accademia Gallery is where one can find the original statue - located at the end of a long 'avenue' lined with sculptures.

"David" is the essence of the Renaissance Man as it was with this unique and magnificent piece of art that Michelangelo was able to convince the powers of the day that Art and Science were not enemies...rather, that they were intended to work hand-in-hand all along. Michelangelo even dissected human corpses in order to further familiarize himself with human anatomy and how it should be done in a most realsitic fashion in the world of fine sculptures.

His compatriots were finally convinced that it would not only be permissible but essential that they seize the moment to perform and exhibit their own artistic talents and that it would not be against religion or any other such far-fetched thought.

The statue of David makes so many suggestive and prominent statement...one of the most obvious is the difference in size between the right and left hand. Michelangelo wrote that the reason for this discrepancy was that the right hand was to symbolize the Hand of God and, because it was so believed, the slaying of Goliath was made possible.

As you walk down the long hallway toward the statue of David...the walls are lined with sculptures by Michelangelo that appear to be half-finished. These figures had major importance in the eyes of Michelangelo as he believed that they were embedded in the marble before he began to carve and were struggling to break free. He calls these the "Unfinished Prisoners".

Everyone who visits Florence...whether a lover of art or not...whether you visit duomos and churches  or not - should absolutely make the time to visit this exhibit. If you only see one art exhibit during your stay in Florence...this should be that one !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tbR17Co5Iw

Filed under: Florence Day Trips

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