It is not easy to define as to what makes a great sculpture, and a true experience of sculptural art requires close observation. After all, the sculpture activates the space inside and around it, connecting with the observer. The stone, when carved out, becomes a structure of power, and permanence. The essay looks at the sculpture of David, carved out by great names such as Donatello, Michelangelo and Bernini and makes a good comparison of the three works.Donatello’s David Donatello’s David is considered one of the greatest sculptural works from the early Renaissance. Made of bronze, it is looked upon as one of the most important works in the history of western art. The sculpture was made somewhere around the mid-fifteenth century for the Palazzo Medici and placed on the pedestal in the middle of the courtyard in the Palazzo Medici initially. Donatello shows David during his battle with the Philistine, Goliath. He is shown at a triumphal moment and in a contemplative pose, with his foot on top of his enemy’s head. His body is nude, well-toned and he wears nothing but a shepherd’s hat. David is shown in his innocent and virtuous youth with young looks. Donatello creates a heroic nudity of antiquity that is depicted at triumphal point of the victory over Goliath (Donatello’s David 2015).Michelangelo’s David Michelangelo’s David is known to be the most perfect statue in Florence and one of the greatest masterpieces ever created. The Renaissance sculpture depicting the Biblical hero David was made between 1501 and 1504 for Duomo for the Cathedral of Florence. The standing sculpture of a male nude is made of marble (Michelangelo’s David 2016). One can perceive Michelangelo's knowledge of the human anatomy and his deep understanding of a male body. The carved eye bulks and the pulsating veins on the back of the hands and the flexing of the right thigh muscles lend a tension to the taut torso. There are great details and perfection in proportions in Michelangelo’s work.Bernini’s David Bernini’s David was executed between 1623 and 1624 when Bernini was just twenty-five-year-old. David here is made of marble and wears only a sling. The culture is successful in showing the youth's tense facial expression. The oversize cuirass lies on the ground and is decorated with an eagle's head, which is a symbol of Borghese family. (David (1623-24) Gian Lorenzo Bernini 2016). The pose is frozen at the moment just before when David is about to leap and is aiming his sling. There is a kind of rhythmic balance between movement and pose in the sculpture.Comparison of Donatello’s David, Michelangelo’s David and Bernini’s David Donatello’s David is the smallest of the three at about 158 cm, slightly shorter than 170 cm of Bernini's David. Michelangelo’s David stands tall with a height of 5.17-metre, and the large size can be attributed to its placement at the roof of the cathedral. Donatello’s David is made of bronze while David, Michelangelo’s and Bernini’s David is made of white marble. Donatello‘s work comes from the early Renaissance and shows David in his victorious standing on the head of Goliath. Michelangelo’s work is more about the perfections in a male body. The head is however unusually large head and the enlargements plus the imposing right hand were due to the fact that the statue was originally to be placed on the cathedral roof line. Michelangelo's David is ideally perfect and beautiful as head contemplates on his upcoming fight with Goliath and is staring at his enemy. In Bernini, David, one finds a more humane and real David, who fights his enemy with the help of God. Bernini's David makes use of the space around and makes a more direct connection with the viewer. Michelangelo's David is more about the content and details and remains separate from the viewer. When one looks at Bernini's David, they can feel what David is feeling. Donatello’s David, on the other hand, shows a younger David, with barely developed muscles. This is a classic work of Renaissance sculpture, and the idea of the life-sized nude sculpture was certainly revolutionary for its day.
Works Cited
"Donatello’s David." italianrenaissance. 2015. Web. 30 March. 2016.
" David (1623-24) Gian Lorenzo Bernini. galleriaborghese. 2016. Web. 39 March. 2016.
"Michelangelo’s David." FEE accademia. 2015. Web. 39 March. 2016.
