What is the importance of Michelangelo's David?

Michelangelo's David (1501-1504) is one of the worlds most famous sculptures, but the fame and importance of David in Florence is shown not only in Michelangelo's handling of the male nude but also the historical and social context where it was created. Located in Florence in the Accademia Galleria, Michelangelo's David stands at 17ft, carved from a block of Carrara marble which had previously been worked into by two artists, limiting Michelangelo's figure handling choices. This is partly why David is so important, it showcases Michelangelo's talents especially as this is one of his early works and he was only 26 when it started to be carved. The talents of Michelangelo are also shown in the massive size of David, and the level of detail applied to each part of the figure. Observe the hands and the detail applied to each vein, also the muscles across David's back, taunt and ready to move. The whole sculpture is fuelled with trapped dynamism and energy, something Michelangelo has managed to showcase in a very difficult block to work with. Now the Historical context of Florence becomes important regarding David. Florence had been run by the banker family the Medici's prior to David's carving, when the Medici's a powerful and controlling family were forced to Rome, having been expelled from Florence for crimes for the church in 1494. After the Medici's left a powerful and crazed Dominican preacher Savonarola took over power in Florence. Savonarola believed that art was sin, he commissioned a bonfire of the Vanities on 7th February 1497 where he burnt thousands of books paintings and music, including several Botticelli pieces. In 1498 Savonarola was excommunicated from the Church and then later that year burnt to death. Florence then became republic run by guilds of the people.

The importance of this historical context for David is that David was commissioned by the most important guild in Florence to stand on the east wing of the Duomo. This explains why David has out of proportion hands, as the viewer would be looking up at the figure from underneath. The east wing of the Duomo faces out to Rome where the Medici's had fled to. David is the symbol of Florence, glaring out to Rome and poised for attack, the Medici's are the Goliath in this analogy. David being ready to attack was brand new in the art world, previous depictions of David always presented him with the corpse of Goliath or Goliath's head at his feet (Donatello's David 1440), Michelangelo's David is completely alone. The white of David's marble can be considered as a symbol of rebirth and purity in the new Florentine Republic. The decision to make David fully nude and more masculine than prior creations of David is viewed by some art historians as a sign of liberation from the rule of Savonarola. Some art historians mention that David was viewed in Florence as a sign of homosexual liberation, the fully nude form and that it was based off Michelangelo's then lover contribute to this factor. There are also links to the Greek hero's of past, with Michelangelo's decision to depict David in the contrapposto pose ( where the figure stands with one foot in front of the other, as if in movement), an easily recognisable visual link, determining David's status as a hero.