Next to various works of art, Michelangelo’s David is one of the most well known Italian renaissance pieces of all time. The sculpture is seventeen feet tall, and was originally sculpted to be on top of Florence Cathedral. After Michelangelo sculpted the masterpiece, it was decided that the sculpture was too perfect to be on top of the building, and was instead placed inside a public square; then moved to Galleria dell’ Accademia.
Personally, when I first laid eyes on the figure, I thought I was looking at an actual human being. His muscles and veins are anatomically accurate, and his figure is so smooth like a human body. His posture is so perfect that Michelangelo didn’t need to add more support than his David’s legs. Although some people believe this David is a representation of the biblical figure after he killed Goliath, his face, hand, and leg are reasons why I believe this was his stance seconds before he threw the stone.
Michelangelo managed to capture the split second when the human heart is doubtful, but the brain triggers fight or flight. His face, his eyes, his mouth, and his brows all scream fear and doubt, but his body tells him he can do it –his brain reassures him of his ability to defeat the giant in front of him, and his veins and muscles pulsate with adrenaline. David’s right hand is forever in process of slowly grasping the stone, and his eyes are fixated on his target, Goliath. However, it is the left leg that is most important. David’s right leg is firmly planted flat whereas his left leg is positioned in a stepping form. His toes are firm on the ground whereas his heel is picked off of the ground and his knee is positioned inward –similarly to the stance before throwing a baseball.

Michelangelo originally sculpted the David to reassure and protect Florence from invaders or wars, and thus, became this figure for Florence. For Michelangelo, David was a symbol of the fight between his renaissance ideas and the disapproval of the church. Regardless of the conflict or battle, David will always represent that moment we all experience: when we doubt ourselves and curse the situation, but our brains and our body thrust us towards the fight. It is the single moment when we decide to take our Goliath’s head on.

P.S. There is a really cool ska song called “Toe to Toe” by Streetlight Manifesto about the battle between David and Goliath, and our battles with life obsticals, so that’s cool.