Summary
Seeing David in Florence
It is worth taking the Walks of Italy walking tour of Florence for the entrance to The Galleria Dell Accademia alone. This tour catapults you to the front of a very long line to see the famous statue of Michelangelo’s David.
As we entered the museum, we listened to our guide Anika talk about the sculptures and the artwork of the building while standing in the main foyer. As we walked on, I expected a long drawn-out process of looking at different statues and works of art before ever getting the chance to see David. Unbeknownst to me, however, as soon as we turned the corner, there he was!
David was larger than I expected.
It was fascinating to see in real life. As we walked down a long hallway towards Michelangelo’s masterpiece, we witnessed his work in progress. He sculpted many unfinished Davids before finally settling on his final sculpture. Michelangelo considered David one of his greatest masterpieces, wanting the challenge of working on a piece of marble that was said to have been of inferior quality. Consequently, he aimed to showcase just how great of an artist he was.
Thought of as the greatest artist of his time during the Italian Renaissance, Michelangelo was one of the few artists who saw fame and fortune during his lifetime. Remarkably, he lived to see the day when a biography was written about his life.
My David
My David loves a great challenge as well, and although he has yet to have his biography written about him, I am working on one that is due to come out in a couple of years. Whether it will be published or not remains a mystery, but the biography will indeed be finished.
Michelangelo’s David
David was originally sculpted between the years of 1501 and 1504 and was intended to be placed high on the roof of the Florence cathedral. However, the people of Florence revered it so greatly that it was decided to move it to a public square. Over time, it was relocated to The Galleria Dell Accademia to preserve this great masterpiece.
My David, born between 1970 and 1975, is also revered by many. But he has chosen to live a life of obscurity well away from the public eye. Despite many offers pouring in daily, he prefers sitting in my parents’ basement working on his art and photography rather than having all his adoring fans falling at his feet.
Hint: Beware when entering the Accademia; you cannot take any photographs of David. The minute your camera comes out, a stampede of little old ladies rush over to yell at you to put it away. I managed to be very sneaky with my iPhone, capturing snapshots while resting my phone on my David’s shoulder. Waiting until the women started yelling at other unsuspecting tourists provided the perfect distraction to grab as many shots as possible. It helps to have your own David to run interference for you while you make a break for the statue of David. Just remember not to use a flash!
David in Plaza Vecchio
The interesting aspect of Florence is that there are several other Davids scattered around town. While I don’t know why Florence feels the need to have replicas all around, they provide a fun and engaging experience.
During our walking tour, we stopped at the Plaza Vecchio to take in its glorious splendor. Our companions initially thought that this was the original David. We couldn’t understand why they were taking so many photos until we arrived at the Accademia and they were aghast, exclaiming, “Oh, this is the real David!” I quickly grabbed my David by his arm and playfully exclaimed, “No, he’s mine!”
David Overlooking Florence at the Piazzale Michelangelo
After our tour finished, it was time to see yet another David. We made our way up the long hike to overlook the city of Florence as the sunset approached. It is here you find another David gazing over the Renaissance city. The walk along the river and up a peaceful trail provides a panoramic glimpse of the area.
While My David snapped photos of the city, I captured images of the Statue of David and then playfully grabbed my Dave to spar with David. Whose presence is more fierce? I’m going with the David that’s alive today.
