Michelangelo’s David, a marble statue of a nude male, demonstrates the power of a dynamic statue. Though the figure is obviously solid, it seems to breathe right off of the page as a living person would. This attribute was fairly common throughout the High Renaissance, period of art which took place roughly between the 1490’s to 1527, primarily in Italy. This era favored a hearkening back to the High Classical period in Rome in the ancient times, focusing on a combination of a high level of realism along with a very idealized view of things and people. Like art in the Early Renaissance, religion played a large part in the commission and subjects of the artwork. However, during the High Renaissance, private groups and individuals became more prominent commissioners of artwork. This increased the amount of portraits and other non-religious subjects. To understand and examine David, a wonderful example of artwork from the High Renaissance, one may compare the statue to a piece of art from the Early Renaissance. Before Michelangelo created David beginning in 1501, another famous artist interpreted the hero. The artist Donatello created a statue of David in beginning in 1446, which depicts a warrior male standing atop his armor, shining as the light reflects off its bronze exterior.
The material is one of the most striking differences between the two statues. Donatello’s bronze work is made of a very hearty, solid, and war-like material. Michelangelo’s statue of white marble seems much more majestic and luxurious because of the color and material. With the High Renaissance stressing an importance on the idealized and classical ideals of earlier times, the marble is a very clear choice, and illustrates the time very well. Scale, though not readily apparent in the pictures, is another big difference between the two David statues. Donatello’s Early Renaissance David stands slightly below the normal height of a man, let alone a great warrior, at only 5’2 1/4”. Michelangelo’s David depicts a more than idealized warrior, standing at a grandiose 17’ tall. This statue towers over viewers, displaying the ideal male and the epic proportions of the hero. The details of the sculpting on both statues are impressive, but it seems that they are aiming for different results. The body’s lines and shapes are a fairly realistic representation of a male on Donatello’s figure. However, on Michelangelo’s work, the details on the body seem almost too real, because they have been pushed to the ideal male body. The High Renaissance began to focus more on people, which is shown in Michelangelo’s David because of the lack of objects surrounding the figure. In Donatello’s David, the statue is adorned with the accessories of war, making an overall different composition.
In the text, it states that in many of the pieces in the High Renaissance, there is a dynamic unity. I see this very strongly in Michelangelo’s David, through the lifelike figure and overall composition of the statue. It seems to be alive all over. It is not as present in Donatello’s piece; it seems as though it is merely a statue.
I have always loved Michelangelo's Statue of David; I agree with what you said about him looking so real and as if he were to walk right off of the podium. It is interesting how the two statues differ in that one has surrounding objects and the other one does not; and the one that stands alone has more detailed and features that are"almost too realistic." It's like not only was the emphasis put %100 on David, but his intense features add even more to that emphasis. I wonder what sort of message was being sent by the different interpretations of David, like did the two artists have a different concept in mind???
ReplyDeleteConsidering the interest in naturalism during the Renaissance, it is interesting that Michelangelo's "David" is so much taller than the one of Donatello. Of course, Michelangelo's "David" originally was intended to be placed up high (on top of the Florence cathedral), which also accounts for its much larger size. I like, though, that you pointed out how Donatello's "David" is closer to the proportions of an actual man (albeit a little bit smaller) - I think that life size sculptural compositions are a nice manifestation of the Renaissance interest in naturalism.
ReplyDelete-Prof. Bowen
I almost chose these two images. I am privately following a theme as I read and listen to the lectures and it has to do with the presentation of the male nude. Anyway I like your take on the epic proportions vs the sort of meek looking version. When I look at Donatellos David my immediate thought was this was a prepubescent boy frolicking with satyrs in a version of midsummer nights dream or that he stepped out of Greek or Roman mythology. Nothing about that image says great warrior. Michelangelo’s David is as you stated pretty epic and in your face and given the ideal male body, even by today’s standards. Great write up.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting seeing the differences between the two David sculptures. I completely agree that both sculptures seem to be “aiming for different results.” The little details found with Donatell’s sculpture portrays more of a warrior, where Michelangelo’s seems to focus more on the display of the human body. Both the Early and High Renaissance eras focused on illusionism, naturalism, and idealism. Early Renaissance started this idea and the High Renaissance perfected it. Comparing the sculptures the David created by Michelangelo has a lot more defined lines and portrays this natural quality to it. Do you wonder where these artists got such different concepts for David?
ReplyDeleteI think the two very different materials chosen say a lot about the artists and their techniques. I always wonder how they decided what material to use - if the commissioner chose for them, or if they had their own decision making process. I also think the scale is something that was a little surprising. Professor Bowen makes an interesting point, seeing as Michelangelo's statue was meant for the top of a building, building at at 5' would have made it look minuscule. Thanks for the great comparison!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great comparison of these two works. I think they demonstrate a great example of humanism and it's rise in the High Renaissance. I actually never knew Michelangelo's David was seventeen feet tall, which is a large difference from Donatello's. I think both the depictions of a warrior, within David are very interesting and although Donatello's lacks the some of theimmaculate detail found in Michelangelo's, the texture is compelling.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the simplicity of Michelangelo's David adds more to the ideal of David as a shepherd warrior. In the story David rejected the typical tools of war in favor for a sling and stones. Whilst Donatello portrays David's victory, I feel that Michelangelo's statue better portrays some of the ideals of David.
ReplyDelete