Donatello's Davids Analysis

Donatello’s and Michelangelo’s Davids were an artistic representation of the influences of both religion and politics. In theses sculpture, the concepts of Christianity and old religious heroes were a significant foundation in their composition. The Florentine political environment, however, was a much larger part of the composition of both sculptures. Close observations of the sculpted faces of Donatello’s and Michelangelo’s Davids each reflect a representation of the Florentine government at the time of their creation. Although the actual date of the sculpting of Donatello’s David is unknown, a rough estimate claims for it to be around 1420s to 1460s. Originally showcased in the Medici Palazzo, Donatello’s bronze statue David, seen in Figure 1, shows a young boy standing in his glory. A closer inspection of the face points out certain details that suggest a larger claim. David’s smile, as shown in Figure 2, is the most striking feature of his face because it seems to be a smile of great triumph and glory. The
God crushes the with of an enormous foe. Behold! A boy overcame a great tyrant. Conquer, o citizens!”. This verse is originally derived from the Odes of Horace, and leaves no doubt that the statue was intended as a symbol of civic patriotism, continuing the heroic tradition of Donatello’s marble David. It was a sure detail for the push of the sculpture to be moved to the Palazzo della Signora from the Medici Palace in 1494. Although the Medici Place garden and courtyard and Palazzo della Signora were both areas that were open to select guests, the decision to move the statue from a designated home setting to an areas associated with government was a step towards the message the Florentine government wanted to advertise: a step towards political