Up Close and Personal with Michelangelo’s David!

Ciao i miei amici,

I first off want to apologize for this long awaited post, I just have been so overwhelmed by all my traveling that I have yet to find some spare time to blog. However that is until now.


As mentioned in a previous entry, where I stress subjective viewer-ship as opposed to introspective viewer-ship I mentioned how viewing art with others is a great way to reflect on a work of art as a whole.  I feel ever since my experience in the Palazzo Pitti as well as the Uffizi I have grown rather accustomed to the social museum experience. I still love to reflect introspectively on hidden gems within the small churches and palaces of Florence however when it comes to major tourist museums as seen with the Academia sometimes it is just best to be subjective.


I visited the Academia with my two dear friends who both possessed an extensive art background. One had previously seen the David before, while the other like myself was seeing the David for the first time. Upon entrance into the Academia, I was filled with gratitude for my friends of the Uffizzi card. A crowd nearly blocked the entrance and the foyer of the first gallery was congested to the brim with buzzing tourists. Then came the moment of anticipation, after viewing and commenting on various works of byzantine and renaissance church art we ventured down the long and narrow hallway to the room of The David.  My friend expressed the magnificence of David prior to my visit and warned me how he would catch us off guard upon entrance into the hallway. However, at the time I dismissed his wariness, yet of course he was right.

Michelangelo's David

If there was only one word to describe the David, my one word would be Magnificent! His location within the Academia greatly attributes to his idealistic nature for he stands fourteen-feet high over his fellow spectators. His architectural placement contributes to his stance and beauty as well. David is situated at the end of the Academia hallway in a round; above him is a glass copula which projects naturalistic light onto his beautifully toned body. What is so fascinating about David's placement in the round is it allows the viewer to experience all 360 degrees of his gloriousness.

My friends and I decided to view the front of David first, I must admit I am a perfectionist thus I was awestruck upon his viewership. He was magnificent: his hair was perfectly quaffed, his muscles were toned, his facial features were alluring and his stance in his victorious contrappasto was so life-like and entrancing. We then proceeded to view David from all angles and sat within the round for nearly an hour commenting on Michelangelo's craftsmanship. In all honesty, pulling myself away from the David was far more difficult then I could have ever imagined, he was so captivating and handsome that I just felt so lost within his gaze. Ok I suppose it sounds like I have a school girl crush on the David but it is hard to stop staring at something that beautiful!

The Academia embodies the David; this museum is far smaller than portrayed and is comprised of mainly church works. Yet, David stands on his own as something so captivating that he beckons forth millions of tourist every year to witness his magnificence. Thus, he has lured me as well as many other fellow art lovers to question the definition of perfection.

A preso,

~Gianna