Michelangelo’s (1475-1564) colossal sculpture David (1501-04) is a universally recognized icon of Renaissance art and culture through its depiction of an idealized nude male in contrapposto pose. It depicts the biblical narrative of David and Goliath, representing the figure David in the moment before their encounter, his body tense with anticipation, his furrowed, intense stare scanning the horizon. The figure David was seen as a cult hero in Florence, an independent city-state besieged by nearby cities, as his story symbolized resistance to tyrannical forces. Michelangelo’s sculpture, though originally commissioned for a cathedral, was instead placed in a public square, giving the city a public expression of its continued spirit and defiance against external hegemony.

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