David - V&A Museum, Cromwell Gardens, London, UK
N 51° 29.771 W 000° 10.310
30U E 696309 N 5708797
This plaster cast of David, from the original by Donatello in c1430, was created in 1885, probably in Florence, and is on show in the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London. The original is on display in a museum in Florence.
Waymark Code: WMW2NR
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/02/2017
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The Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum website tells us about the David statue:
The bronze statue of the young hero David, with the head of the slain giant Goliath at his feet, of which this is a plaster copy, was commissioned from Donatello by Cosimo de’Medici in about 1430. It was the first known free-standing nude statue produced since classical times. For the Florentines, it stood as an allegory of civic virtues triumphing over brutality, and was as celebrated in the 19th century as it is today.
The cast is displayed in one of the two magnificent Cast Courts at the V&A. Since they were first opened in 1873, these galleries have displayed reproductions of some of the most significant monuments of medieval and Renaissance Europe. In these galleries one can view plaster casts of sculptures from Renaissance Italy, notably some of the masterpieces produced by Donatello, Luca della Robbia and Michelangelo.
The sculptures are faithful copies of the originals. They were made in the 19th century, when the vogue for replicated works of art was at its height. Museum visitors at that time generally had little opportunity to travel abroad, and illustrated art books were costly. These superb casts could afford people a rare glimpse of the original sculptures, even if they could not visit Florence or Rome. Artists and designers then and now could likewise sketch and learn from them. The painted surfaces of these reproductions often mirror the original stone or bronze, and the casts seem convincingly monumental. But they are made of plaster, a relatively fragile material.
Plaster Cast, painted plaster, after the bronze original of David, in the Museo Nationale (Bargello), Florence, by Donatello, Italy (Florence), 1428-30, cast probably in Florence, ca. 1885.
The Thought Co website tells us about David:
King David was a man of contrasts. He was single-mindedly committed to God, yet guilty of some of the most serious sins recorded in the Old Testament.
David lived a frustrating life, first in the shadow of his brothers, then constantly on the run from vengeful King Saul. Even after he became king of Israel, David was engaged in almost constant warfare to defend the kingdom. King David was a great military conqueror, but he could not conquer himself.
He allowed one night of lust with Bathsheba, and it had disastrous consequences in his life.
Although King David fathered Solomon, one of Israel's greatest kings, he was also the father of Absalom, whose rebellion brought bloodshed and grief.
King David's life was a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows. He left us an example of passionate love of God and dozens of psalms, some of the most touching, beautiful poetry ever written.