Sculpture - David by Donatello

             The term Renaissance art draws to mind feelings of a rebirth, a reincarnation of artistic expression in a sense. For Donatello though, living amongst such a time period did not seem to skew his artistic grandeur. In creating his sculptural rendition of the biblical character David, he employed classical models in order to convey a sense of realism. His stylistic approach in creating David was of a type uncommon and un-witnessed since the days of the classical era. Dating around 1440 AD, it was the first large-scale bronze nude statue of the Renaissance.
             Donatello took great inspiration from classical models when he created his sculpture of David. His model for David though did not turn out to be a Greek youth in his prime. Instead, he seems to have chosen a barely developed adolescent boy, with a great deal of feminine features. David is mainly a closed-form sculpture cast out of bronze. The objects represented throughout the sculpture as well as his limbs appear in a type of S-curve stance balancing his human form. His arms appear to be a little more then feeble due to lack of muscle and he also seems to be having trouble holding the sword letting it rest to his side. Almost looking seamlessly, the sword appears to provide stability to the arm securing its construction. He stands on Goliath's head in almost a skeptical pose making an audience wonder if it could all be possible that he accomplished such a feat. His archaic smile leaves him himself even astonished giving a look of awe as he glances down.
             Donatello was one of the most important fifteenth century artists whose bronze David appears to be an enigma as it is completely unlike his other works in its unusual style, and classical time of origin. The major distinction with Greek art was that it was extremely narrative; in accordance is the sculpture of David. David is seen wearing a broad-brimmed hat that is garlanded with bay leaves indicative of his st...

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