Fifteenth century Florence, Italy is the focal point for a sudden rise in artistic, humanistic, technological, and scientific interest known as the Renaissance. The recent discovery of classic texts and artifacts are among the primary catalysts for this new cultural emergence. People begin looking toward ideal heroes from past historical periods, promoting liberal arts study, centered mainly on the intellectual potential of individuals.
The powerful and influential Medici family funded scholarships in the areas of humanism and artistic productions, exerting their political and financial control throughout parts of central Italy (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2002). In this period, the biblical figure David was drawn as a source for inspiration, since people of Florence see him as an icon for conquering his enemies.
[...] Donatello and Michelangelo's David statues are among the most famous of all examples. The first, nude, large-scale bronze statue in the Renaissance is a statue by Donatello, showing a young David standing over Goliath's severed head holding the giant warrior's sword. Scholars have argued its exact dating, yet the 1400's is a widely acceptable belief of its initial production. Nudity is a stark contrast compared to other images of David fashioned in the fifteenth century. However, those other statues show comparisons to Donatello's, especially the Bellano's David, which is holding a sword, and the statue by Master of David and Saint John Statuettes, having a hand on the hip. [...]
[...] References Metropolitan Museum of Art. (October, 2002). Florence and Central Italy, 1400–1600 A.D. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=08®ion=eustc Moore, M. (2008, January 16). Michelangelo's David set for move. In The Telegraph. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews Randolph, A. (2002) Engaging Symbols: Gender, Politics, and Public Art in Fifteenth-Century Florence. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. http://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/farberas/arth/arth213/donatello_david.ht ml Statue.com. (2011). Statue of David. Retrieved from http://www.statue.com/statue-of-david.html Tuscany Arts. (2010, June 8). Michelangelo's David – some facts you might not know. [...]
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