Using Pdas for Patient Education

Katherine P. Williams

J00224696

Katherine P. Williams

J00224696

A BRIEF ESSAY

COMPARING

MICHELANGELO’S DAVID

TO

DONATELLO’S DAVID

David by Michelangelo

The government of Florence commissioned this sculpture because the biblical king was the symbol of Florentine republicanism. Michelangelo took a huge block of marble and worked with it in secret for three years.

Michelangelo borrowed from imagery in Greek and Roman statuary which is noticeable by the little tree trunk supporting the sculpture of David.

David is standing nude – leaning a bit on the tree trunk, seemingly contemplating his opponent. He seems to illustrate one of the statements the actual young mad, David made when he penned these words in Psalm 18, “I will call upon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised: so shall I be safe from my enemies.”

Aside from the calm expression on the face of this sculpture, we see this young man with nothing at all. He is not cowering in fear or hidden behind armor, or armed with anything made by man. He is armed with his faith in the Lord.

David by Donatello

Donatello’s bronze statue of David is one I do not like. As noted in our text, the young man looks effeminate. However, that is not the main thing to me. This David, if viewed by someone without a biblical education, would give the impression that David was victorious over Goliath because of his big sword and his helmet. You have to really look at the sculpture to see that he is standing on the head of Goliath. Again, with the weaponry, he does not look like the young man in the bible that said to Goliath “You come to me with a sword and shield, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, whom you have insulted.” Looking at Donatello’s David, you almost see David patting himself on the back rather than the reverent contemplation depicted in the attitude of Michelangelo’s David.

All that being said, Donatello made history in the 1400s when he completed the sculpture as it was...