Andrea del Verrochio's
bronzeBronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive, but sometimes with other elements such as phosphorus, manganese, aluminium, or silicon. It was particularly significant in antiquity, giving its name to the Bronze Age...
statue of
David was most likely made between 1473 and 1475. It was commissioned by the Medici family. It is sometimes claimed that Verrocchio modelled the statue after a handsome pupil in his workshop, the young
Leonardo da VinciLeonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian polymath, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer....
.
The statue represents the youthful David, future king of the Israelites, triumphantly posed over the head of the slain Goliath.
The bronze was initially installed in
Palazzo VecchioThe Palazzo Vecchio ; Italian for "Old Palace") is the town hall of Florence, central Italy. This massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany...
in 1476.
Placement of Goliath's head has been a source of some debate for art historians.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'David (Verrocchio)' Start a new discussion about 'David (Verrocchio)' Answer questions from other users |
Andrea del Verrochio's
bronzeBronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive, but sometimes with other elements such as phosphorus, manganese, aluminium, or silicon. It was particularly significant in antiquity, giving its name to the Bronze Age...
statue of
David was most likely made between 1473 and 1475. It was commissioned by the Medici family. It is sometimes claimed that Verrocchio modelled the statue after a handsome pupil in his workshop, the young
Leonardo da VinciLeonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian polymath, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer....
.
The statue represents the youthful David, future king of the Israelites, triumphantly posed over the head of the slain Goliath.
The bronze was initially installed in
Palazzo VecchioThe Palazzo Vecchio ; Italian for "Old Palace") is the town hall of Florence, central Italy. This massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany...
in 1476.
Placement of Goliath's head has been a source of some debate for art historians. When exhibited at the National Gallery of Art, the head was placed between David's feet, as is the case in the statue's permanent home, the National Museum of the Bargello, in
FlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
. Another school of art historians have suggested that Verrocchio intended for Goliath's head to be placed to David's right, pointing to the diagonals of the ensemble. This placement was temporarily arranged at the National Gallery of Art, as well as Atlanta's High Museum, among others.
David was intended as a representation of Florence, as both were more powerful than they appeared, and both the shepherd boy and Florence could be viewed as rising powers.