David And Gianlorenzo Bernini's David By Michelangelo

In the Baroque period of the seventeenth century, Renaissance ideals were both incorporated and taken of the work of the artist. While the artwork still brought focus on making humanistic artworks, Baroque art was made in a way to bring out powerful and intense responses from its observers. Some of the details that are most evident in this style of artwork include: rich colors, diagonal movement in space, and lighting. This style of artwork was more dramatic and moving than the Classical art previously practiced. The different styles of art from these two different eras can be seen through two statues of David. Michelangelo completed the David statue in 1501, and Gianlorenzo Bernini completed the other statue, also entitled ‘David’, in 1623.

When one first looks upon both sculptures, they will immediately notice the moment in time that the artists chose to represent in their sculptures.

Bernini’s David appears to be in the middle of battle, perhaps even defending himself. Bernini sculpts his David as he is in the process of using his sling as a weapon to defeat his enemy, Goliath. Upon further observation, you will notice the tension of David’s body. His arms are tensed as well as his chest to show the momentum he is gathering before he releases the rock from his sling. Bernini also chose to capture the moment of David’s robe falling from his body, instead of exposing his nudity. This statue was carved during the Baroque Era and proves to be a typical art piece of this time period because it depicts the subject in motion, instead of just in a pose. At the time that Bernini carved this statue, it gave way to a new idea of looking at space. His David seems to have left his designated sculpting area and has spilled over into a space that is not necessarily his own. Bernini also made it a point to make his sculpture life-size, which contributes to the life-likeness of his artwork. It is also just as important to notice the significance that this particular David gives you a concept of a specific time, which is another characteristic of the art in the Baroque Era. This further helps the viewer to idealize the realism that was important to the artwork in this

era.
In contrast to Bernini’s David is Michelangelo’s sculpture also entitled ‘David’.

At the time of the Renaissance, there was a great fascination with the human body. Michelangelo “sought after finding the ideal human form from his entire life” (historyand humanities). Michelangelo began his sculpture of David at the begging of the 16th century, where as Bernini’s came more than a century later. In Michelangelo’s version, the body of David is unrealistic. It shows the male form at the highest level of greatness, it appears almost “god-like”. Another interesting aspect of Michealangelo’s David is that the texture is more lustrous and has a greater flesh-like appearance. While Bernini focused more on telling a story with his sculpture, David designed his as a vessel for illustrating his version of the perfect human form.

After extensive research and close observation of both Bernini’s David and Michelangelo’s David, I have to say that I find Michelangelo’s David more fascinating. The detail that Michelangelo’s David contains is amazing. The veins in his hands, and the muscles in his arms make him look so life-like. The watchful eyes are so interesting to me and I like to imagine what exactly it is that Michelangelo was thinking as he carved this statue. I do hope to visit Florence someday so I can see this sculpture in person, and fully appreciate its beauty and

detail.
While Michelangelo’s sculpture of David and Bernini’s sculpture of David are similar in the aspect that they depict a ‘god like human’, they contrast greatly in the energy and movement of the figures. Bernini prided himself in the emotional involvement he evoked in his viewers, while Michealangelo used his sculpture to portray the human form in a perfected state. They both, undoubtedly, created works of art that defined the area in which they lived. Both of these talented artist were talented and have set standards for their own ideas that have carried down through history.