Introduction: David Sculpture by Michelangelo
From my perspective, David’s sculpture by Michelangelo defines the timeline of the narrative’s events before the battle. In contrast to the other two sculptures, Michelangelo’s David exhibits a more subdued emotion (Barry, 2020). Therefore, I can conclude that the physical orientation of this David, in this sculpture, not only represents a traditional Biblical hero but is redolent of High Classical art. A breakdown of the other sculptures of David, the similarities and differences across them, and my favorite among the three forms the basis of this paper.
David Sculpture by Donatello
The significance of the story is depicted in Donatello’s David sculpture as occurring after he defeats Goliath. Gauging the sculpture at the time when Goliath’s severed head is lying on the ground, I can conclude that the sculpture captures a moment of introspective thinking after a battle (Barry, 2020). Since Donatello used bronze metal throughout the renaissance, unlike Michelangelo’s work, his David is profoundly affected by outstanding ancient art from Greece. The section below highlights David’s sculpture as portrayed by Bernini.
David Sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Whereas David’s sculpture by Michelangelo defines events before the battle, Bernini’s sculpture is constrained to events happening during the battle itself. I can deduce that a Baroque-inspired sculpture of David on display features a fiercely combative body language. After reviewing these three sculptures, however, Bernini’s David sculpture is my favorite of them all. Its implicit progression and physical acuity demonstrate that David is capable of fighting even without the armor. However, based on similarity, all three David sculptures appear to engage with the events and environment surrounding the scene. Additionally, all the sculptures are particularly unique since they neither depict a warrior getting ready for a fight nor one who has already won the battle (Barry, 2020). They present a series of events which inform the viewer more about a warrior’s successful past and preparedness.
Conclusion
As highlighted in the introductory paragraph, David’s sculpture by Michelangelo defines the timeline of the narrative’s events before the battle. Whereas David’s sculpture by Donatello depicts the events after David defeated Goliath, Bernini’s sculpture is constrained to occurrences during the battle itself. The study of the three sculptures of David by Michelangelo, Donatello, and Bernini can help students pursuing art and design courses to appreciate the uniqueness of works of different artists.
Reference
Barry, M. P. (2020). Lesson 08: The Renaissance. Art Appreciation Open Educational Resource. Johnson City: East Tennessee State University.