Comparison of Michelangelo’s and Bernini’s David, Essay Example

Gian Lorenzo Bernini created his life-sized sculpture of David from the year 1623-1624, which is of the Baroque period (Martin). The dimension of the statue stands at 170cm, and is currently located in Galleria Borghese, Rome. He used Marble to complete this sculpture and completed it as part of a commission in which he was to decorate the villa of Cardinal Scipione Borghese (Leppert 1). The overall sculpture took him seven months to complete. Michaelangelo’s David comes from the Renaissance period, created between the years 1501 and 1504. It stands at 5.17 m, and is made of marble (Vasari). It was supposedly to be placed in the Florence Cathedral, however after its completion; it took place in a public square which was outside the Palazzo della Signoria. It was come to be known as a symbol for Florence’s civil liberties through its heroic nature (Seymour). Both statues are of the biblical subject, David, who defeated the enemy giant, Goliath. The statues were created using the same material; however, they differ a lot in movement as well as size.

Bernini’s David captures a scene from the Old Testament in the First Book of Samuel. This was when the Israelites were at war with the Philistines (Kirwin). Their giant warrior Goliath challenged any of the soldiers to settle the conflict by a single combat, and David who was a shepherd, took the challenge and was about to slay Goliath with a stone from his sling. This allowed him to behead Goliath afterwards. The moment of the sculpture was when he was in the midst of throwing the rock, and his actions resemble that of a baseball pitcher gathering momentum before he throws the ball (Kirwin). David was partially nude in this sculpture and is covered by a robe. His armor lies at his feet, and it is believed that he found it easier to fight without it. In this sculpture, there is also a hard which lies at David’s feet, however this was not mentioned in the Bible. What is interesting about Bernini’s sculpture is the exact moment he is trying to depict. This is not seen in most of the Renaissance influences his sculpture has, because those of David made during that period show him victorious after the battle, not in the midst of it. His sculpture is seen to work with the elements around him, and has movement; it is not seen as self-contained (Leppert 1). Bernini was said to have used Leonardo da Vinci’s theory of how to portray a figure which is throwing something:

“If you represent him beginning the motion, then the inner side of the outstretched foot will be in line with the chest, and will bring the opposite shoulder over the foot on which his weight rests. That is: the right foot will be under his weight, and the left shoulder will be above the tip of the right foot” (qtd. Primesberg 11).

Michelangelo’s David is said to differ from other sculptures of the same subject because it does not have the slain head of Goliath; Donatello’s and Verrocchio’s statues of David did, and they were of the same period (Hibbard). David here is seen preparing for battle; this is seen in how he glares to his side, he looks tense and is ready for combat. His veins are seen to come out in his lower right hand, and the way he is standing with a twist to the waist implies that he is about to go into motion. The moment this statue depicts is when David decides he wants to battle with Goliath, but before the actual battle has taken place. Michaelangelo’s David is seen as an interpretation which is of a common ancient Greek theme – a heroic male in the nude (Goldberg 3). The form in which he takes, with one leg relaxed is a common pose seen in this theme, it creates an S-curve in the figure. This sculpture of David is come to be known as a figure of heroism, as well as strength and human beauty (Hall). David’s hands and feet are created slightly larger in proportion, this was said to be done because he was only a young man at the tender age of thirteen or fourteen when he decided to fight Goliath. The disproportionate hands and feet show a young man who has not fully grown into his body. However, some people come to believe that their being disproportioned suggests that David was thinking with his brain and acting with his hands (Hartt). His right hand is also larger than his left, implying that he defeated Goliath being at the “right hand” of God. Although, there was also a practical issue in doing this, it was so that the figure was balanced and would not fall over, given its stance (Hall).

There are many differences with Michelangelo’s as well as Bernini’s David, the first which comes to mind is obviously its form, as well as the moment it tries to capture. A great difference in these would probably be the period in which the sculptures were made, Bernini was said to be influenced by Michelangelo’s David in creating his own (Leppert 1). There were major differences in the form as well as the size of the figures. Michelangelo’s David stands as if he himself were the Giant. Bernini’s David shows more action, how he is in the middle of battle, and tells a story more than anything (Kirwin). Whilst Michelangelo’s David is more of symbolism, how he stands there representing something bigger than himself, and is glorified for being a statue of victory, even though this sculpture was before the battle began. Both statues were taken in different interpretations of the event in the Bible. I believe that Bernini’s moved with the space around him, and show’s great athleticism. Michelangelo’s David shows greatness and beauty which stands alone and is a figure to be awed (Hartt).

Works Cited

Hall, James, Michelangelo and the Reinvention of the Human Body, 2005.

Hartt, Frederick, Michelangelo: the complete sculpture (n.d.)

Hibbard, Howard. Michelangelo (n.d.)

Chandler Kirwin, Powers Matchless: The Pontificate of Urban VIII, the Baldachin, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini (New York: Peter Lang, 1997).

Vicki Goldberg, Nude Sculpture: 5,000 Years (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2000).

John Rupert Martin, Baroque (New York: Harper & Row, 1977).

Richard D. Leppert, The Cultural Functions of Imagery The Cultural Functions of Imagery (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1996).

Preimesberger, Rudolf (1985). “Themes from art theory in the early works of Bernini”. In Lavin, Irving. Gianlorenzo Bernini: New Aspects of His Art and Thought, a Commemorative.

Vasari, Giorgio, Lives of the Artists (Penguin Books), “Life of Michelangelo” pp. 325–442. Vasari’s report on the origin and placement of David has been undermined by modern historians.

Seymour, Charles, Jr. Michelangelo’s David : a search for identity (Mellon Studies in the Humanities) 1967.