Discuss how the use of different materials, techniques and processes has affected the appearance of two works of art.

I will be looking at two works of art addressing the same subject matter, enabling me to concentrate on the characteristics of the materials and how they have been manipulated. I will be assessing Michelangelo's nude David (1501-1504) and Donatello's nude David (1430). I will be addressing the appearance of the sculptures and how this relates to the narrative, the techniques used to create the sculptures and how the difference in materials convey a difference in structure.
Michelangelo's David is carved from one block of marble using a chisel and mallet, showcasing Michelangelo's structural talent as marble is notorious for shattering therefore carving from one block is a delicate process. The nature of marble is brittle therefore a buttress is placed to support the structure, seen in the tree trunk supporting the left leg. This however does not detract from the meaning of the sculpture as it purely provides structural support. The sculpture depicts the moment before David defeats Goliath, which is not usually depicted, seen in the turned head assessing his impending challenge with concentration. Although marble is brittle in nature the contrapposto position, which conveys a sense of movement, has not been affected further emphasising the narrative of anticipation. Typical of the Renaissance style Michelangelo has depicted David as strong, muscular and athletic, not true to the biblical narrative as David was a teenager and wouldn’t have this athletically developed body. His muscular body is emphasised by the polished pure white marble which emulates skin and highlights the contours of the toned torso in a subtle and naturalistic style. Michelangelo has exploited the characteristics of marble to create a realistic male nude but has also advanced in sculptural techniques pushing the boundaries of marble.
Donatello has depicted the narrative after the defeat of Goliath shown in David's triumphant stance on Goliath's decapitated head showing the stark contrast between the youth and old age. Compared to Michelangelo's David Donatello has depicted David with a feminine and nymph like body, the curves highlighted by the patterning on the bronze. Bronze is a malleable material; this characteristic means there is more fluidity in sculpture without the need for a supporting buttress. Additionally, the structure of bronze has enabled Donatello to create a free- standing sculpture that can be viewed from 360 degrees, pushing the boundaries of bronze and Renaissance sculpture. Bronze allows for more complex positioning, the confident contrapposto stance, with deeper detail seen in the laurel wreath and the winged putti on Goliath’s helmet. Donatello's David is made from casted bronze which creates a majorly differing effect compared to the marble. The technique is more complex as primarily a clay core sculpture is made, then wax is poured over and then baked within a clay shell to create a mould which the bronze can be poured into. This technique is called the lost wax technique and as previously stated requires a set amount of skills.  As we can see Donatello has exploited the characteristics of bronze to create a sculpture with increased detail and fluidity to explore the David and Goliath narrative.