Name: patrice
Date: 2002-05-01
Comments: Apart from being a masterpiece worldwide known, this is also such an erotic shock. The boy is beautiful and looks energetic, manly and sensual. He looks especially satisfied, perhaps with his recent accomplishment (however, he does not yet know that his fame will top that of the - even more self-satisfied inhabitants of the "loft") or possibly with his own person. His body is musculous, however muscles do not show out like in the Perseus (Cellini) or David by Michelangelo. His attitude of pride does not look to me as mature but more as of an adolescent's or child's who deserves or receives congrtaulations. Makes sense ?
Name: Andrea
Date: 2002-05-07
Comments: As it was one of the first free standing nudes since ancient times you have to admire Donatello for being so open to controversy. The contraposto pose does look quite feminate, but at the same time is able to convey strenght and emotion. There is also great attention to anatomy
Name: David
Date: 2002-12-10
Comments: I think the statue is kind of intresting but my friend here doesn't like it because of its nudeness.
Name: jlt
Date: 2002-11-30
Comments: I like the statue's nude, feminine, and short appearance because it serves as a direct contrast to Goliath's armored, masculine, and tall appearance. One thing I was wondering about was why the genitalia are so dang small.
Name: Rebecca
Date: 2003-01-04
Comments: Donatello made sculptures more realistic by carving natural postures and expressions that reveal personality. He revived a classical form by carving the statue DAVID. It was the first European sculpture of a large, free-standing nude since ancient times.
Name: lee
Date: 2003-01-25
Comments: My chief complaint about photos of this statue is that they almost always show the front view, and to appreciate the statue's wry eroticism you really have to see it (him) from all angles, including - dare I say it - the back. All right, I confess - I think he's got a terrific butt! I haven't been able to visit the original, but there's quite a nice plaster copy in London's Victoria and Albert Museum {www.vam.ac.uk}. Unfortunately the painted plaster doesn't imitate patinated bronze very well, and the sword blade has got broken off, but you can view the figure in all its detail.
Name: Trevor
Date: 2003-04-06
Comments: This statue is the symbol of the revival of an infatuation of society directed towards it youth. A society that embraces this, as the Romans, is at the pinacle of its advancement and represents a period just prior to its demise. What can we learn? That time hides the truth and the old adage holds true, "history repeats itself," and, "those who fail to remember that past are doomed to repeat it." Boy love is being accepted and promoted at a college level, eventually it will overtake our society with nudes of young boys in cimema and art galeries. Though the statue has been around a long time, what it portrayed was not wide spread at the time of its production, today it is.
Name: Ping
Date: 2003-08-22
Comments: I think this statue or sculpture is a symbol of bravery even though David was still a boyu he was not afraid of Goliath.
Name: Brice
Date: 2003-08-28
Comments: This statue is the symbol of the revival of an infatuation of society directed towards it youth. A society that embraces this, as the Romans, is at the pinacle of its advancement and represents a period just prior to its demise. What can we learn? That time hides the truth and the old adage holds true, "history repeats itself," and, "those who fail to remember that past are doomed to repeat it." Boy love is being accepted and promoted at a college level, eventually it will overtake our society with nudes of young boys in cimema and art galeries. Though the statue has been around a long time, what it portrayed was not wide spread at the time of its production, today it is.
My chief complaint about photos of this statue is that they almost always show the front view, and to appreciate the statue's wry eroticism you really have to see it (him) from all angles, including - dare I say it - the back. All right, I confess - I think he's got a terrific butt! I haven't been able to visit the original, but there's quite a nice plaster copy in London's Victoria and Albert Museum {www.vam.ac.uk}. Unfortunately the painted plaster doesn't imitate patinated bronze very well, and the sword blade has got broken off, but you can view the figure in all its detail.
Name: soph
Date: 2003-09-09
Comments: This magnificent work is lifesized, nude, and a bronze figure of David. His foot raised on the severed head, in a stance of contraposto. Style refers to antiquity for the balance and composition of the nude. Energy in the sculpture ani,ates the emotions and is a new technique in the David
- femanistic appearance of the body and the stance
- Smooth and natural looking
- Overall this version of the biblical hero is elegantly designed and the originality is fascinating
Name: Seth S.
Date: 2003-10-15
Comments: The David above looks like a lady the way the skin looks. It just looks so smooth and well taken care of. Plus the arm postioned on the hips give a girlish look. Then there is the long hair.
Name: Christy C.
Date: 2003-10-15
Comments: I don't know what was trying to be portayed here with the femininity of the pose; This statue looks more like a girl than a boy. But it is interesting that it is very much different than Goliath's manly stance and that makes it unique in its own way. English 200
Name: Olivia Schulze
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: I am very familiar of the story of David and Goliath and I believe that this sculpture captures the youth of David by placing him in such a stance with a look of joy on his face. However, in order to hold true to the story, David holds a sword which feeds into his mascalinity and maturity.
Name: Brian Gay
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: Donatello created a fanastic work of art here. Unfortunately it is not as famous as other versions of David, but it is certainly recognized globally. The statue seems to make David appear very feminine making his feat over Goliath even more spectacuar.
Name: Robert Boone
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: This sculpture seemingly represents these two aspects of David's character: the immortalization of youth, outward weakness, and innocence; coupled with the ability to inwardly kill the giant Goliath. These two aspects serve as a kind of contradiciton, but are nonetheless represented beautifully in Donatello's depiction.
Name: Mary
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: I think that his feminine appearance relates to the youth of David. It shows how this little boy killed a great giant.
Name: Shellie
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: I really admire Donatello's work. I really like this sculpture of David in particular. I think him being small and and not very muscular and feminine looking shows that he really achieved something when he killed Goliath. He wasn't the mighty man that Michelangelo portrayed him to be, he was a young boy that is very proud of his accomplishment. I think that Donatello was very brave to portray David nude since it hadn't been done recently with the male figure.
Name: Holly
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: This statue is so much different from other ones done on DAVID. I must say that this one is not that much to my liking because of the fact he is portrayed so young and feminine.
Name: Amanda Grubb
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: I find Donatello's "David" quite feminine. I think the reason behind my finding is because of his pose, long hair, and young, small look. Donatello's "David" is very different from Michelango's in that Donatello's is after he killed the giant and Michelango's is before when he is awaiting the giant. Michelango's is also different in that he emphasizes the muscle more then Donatello does.
Name: Stacey Conrad
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: I don't like the way that Donatello portrayed David in this statue. Personally I feel as if he gives of the impression that he has very little masculinity. David killed the giant and deserves to be looked at as a man.
Name: Robin Lewis
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: The Romans were militaristic and did not believe in weakness. No one was to show weakness at the sight of blood. This sculpture captures every aspect of a young, strong, and courageous warrior.
Name: Lauren Zapp
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: In this sculpture David looks very young. I think it is odd that he is nude but with a hat and boots. By his facial expression he looks shy behing that hat. His hand on his hip looks like a gester that girls do. He is looking down at the head maybe because he is unsure of how great his accomplishment it.
Name: Kellie ENG 200
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: Donatello’s David is very telling in the way that the face is pointed down toward Goliath’s head and how the foot is placed on Goliath’s head as well. The features are still very soft and femininity is present as well. I do agree with Patrice when she says
“His attitude of pride does not look to me as mature but more as of an adolescent's or child's who deserves or receives congratulations.” I think innocence is present in this one as well but it does not override the fact that David defeated Goliath with the stone in one hand and Goliath’s sword in the other. The sword and the stone are very ironic because the stone (small)is what brought Goliath down while Goliath had the sword (large). Brains over braun.
Name: Erica - ENG 200
Date: 2003-10-16
Comments: He appears to have a brash smirk on his face as he peers down at his unlucky challenger. The sword is more accurate to match Goliath as compared to Verrocchio’s interpretation of David. However this work also looks feminine to me. But at least he has a stone which is what he supposedly used to kill Goliath.
Name: Daniel Weddington
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: Unlike Michelangelo's David, which is the very epitome of male masculinity, Donetatello's sculpture portrays David in, obviously, a very feminine fashion. Perhaps this is a message on Donatello's part on the idea that one doesn't have to always be physically huge or masculine in order to have power. This sculpure also seems to be making a statement on youth and the power that it holds. Because of his overt femininity, David looks very young -almost pre-pubescent. Perhaps this was a statement about challenging old ideas or rebelling against authority.
Name: Stephanie Clark
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: I really don't care for this sculpture, because it's too feminine and if you didn't know who done this sculpture or know it's name title you wouldn't know that it's about David and Goliath. I feel this sclpture is too feminine and the way that David stands isn't mascule.
Name:
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: The more feminine David I have seen, this one seems more childish. Donatello's version of David is probably the most accurate portrail of what David actually looked like. This statue is very thick.
Name: Jeremy P.
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: I think that this statue of David isn't very powerful. I don't really see this boy killing any giants. Like the statue by verrocchio I again see too small of a sword for Goliath the Giant. I would say that this David must have used a sneak attack of some sort.
Name: Josh McCurdy
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: I like the statue but i agree with some of the other comments that it looks very feminine. I think that the sculpture could make the same statement itis trying to make with him wearing at least pants. He is being portrayed as a hero, but yet it has very feminine qualities like his stance and even the way he is wearing the hat with the long hair draping over his shoulder.
Name: Eric Coffey
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: David does look very femine but i feel the reason for this is because Donatello wanted to exagerate how frail and weak David was. This makes you understand what a increadible feat killing Goliath was. He was weak but by the might given to him by God he was able to slay a giant.
Name: larry deel
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: This statue is portrayed as very ladylike, reasons why i do not know. He also looks to be at the age of a young man in his 20's.
Name: Janette Stidham
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: David is portrayed as a much younger character in this sculpture. He is boyish, physically, with his still girlish physique and mentally with his grin. He is presenting the head in pride, but not with errogance. This sculpture seems to be more Biblically accurate than Donatello's David. However, I don't think this is the image he portrayed after the killing.
Name: hrf
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: The feministic appearance of David that Donatello shows is to create a great since of accomplishment. David was supposedly too small to slay Golliath and by making David feminine looking this makes David appear even more powerful. David's stature and facial expression ensure success and he looks to be very confident and somewhat cocky.
Name: justin huff
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: I believe that donatello sculpted the young david nude to accent his youthfulness, and vulnerability. As we all know david was just a young shepard boy, and donatello recognizes this in his piece
Name: Amy N.
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: This figure symbolizes youth and strength. Even though the figure is not a muscular as some of the other figures of David, it is still powerful because of the story behind the figure and of course the head lying at his feet. The figure seems also feminine and seductive, I think that that is also conveying youth and how it can give the sense of power because there is so much life left in the young.
Name: Sarah
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: I feel that this statue is very feminine in the way Donatello has David standing. The hand on the hip and just its overall physical appearance except for the private parts make give off that impression. Donatello also gave him long hair and a helmet that almost looks like a hat with flowers on it. It just seems that Donatello wasn't really going for the strenth look at all, yet we still get the idea that maybe not even strength is what wins a battle.
Name: Dustin Miles
Date: 2003-10-17
Comments: In this work by Donatello it very girlish like image od David who beat this huge giant. He stands like a girl and the way is arm is put on his hip. The little hat that he wears is more like a girl hat. It could mean though that the point Donatello was trying to make was that you do not have to be very manly to conquer and rule.
Name: Eric
Date: 2003-10-20
Comments: The statue by donatello is a different way to present david, donatello made david look more feminine. David doesnt look mascline, and he looks more like a woman.
Name: She
Date: 2003-10-21
Comments: I like this statue for its importance in the Bilble. When I look at this statue it reveals courage and passion.
Name: Shenea
Date: 2003-10-21
Comments: I like this statue for its importance in the Bible. When I view this statue it reveals courage and passion for what you are determined to do!
Name: Ashley
Date: 2003-12-02
Comments: With the risk of contraversy, Donatello even put a mysterious expression upon the face of David. It is work like that which causes a stir and gets a piece of art noticed.
Name: Paul
Date: 2004-01-19
Comments: Fine, but the figure iteself is arguably inferior to Cellini's Perseus, and lacking the dynamism one would expect from the story.
On the other hand, it is more of an integrated sculpture than Cellini's, in which he is so understanably concerned to show off his unparalleled virtuosity that he populates the plinth with too many subsidiary figures. But look at the hilt of the sword -- this alone, if ofund in th earth, would rank with the very top of European and world art.
Comparisons are really invidious at this level.
Name: armadilloartist
Date: 2004-01-29
Comments: The studies of Donatello's relationship with fellow artists is quite bold in this rendition of David. Leonardo da Vinci was a close friend, was he the model?? History seems to point that way, but is inconclusive. We know that Da Vinci was homosexual, what is known of Donatello's preferences? It is rumored that he was an orgy kind of man. The statue itself, leaves little to the imagination anatonically, but the story is more of an enchanting storybook tale. Why does David wear footwear when he wears no armor? He clutches a rock for what reason, besides the obvious slaying? Like Peter in the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, David favors Mary Magdalen. Again, I question, why, other than Donatello sculpted both. More questions to ponder...
Name: KLT
Date: 2004-02-18
Comments: I think that it's a very interesting way to sculp, and show the human boby.There is no doubt that Donallo was an artist.
Name: Steph
Date: 2006-10-20
Comments: In response to they very first comment on this board, David is not supposed to look manly. He's portrayed as a prepubescdent adolescent. The weakness of his body is intended to make it seem that his success over Goliath was more an act of God, not one of physical strength. Hes facial expressions are also supposed to show his surprise at his success.
As a response to Tatum, the bronze is a reference to the superiority of classical skill and learning.
Name: Antonio Baena
Date: 2004-08-03
Comments: Beautiful, undeniable so, the feather of goliath's helmet touching (erotically so) the legs of david is quite intresting, having said that, the effeminate form of david does not make him less masculine in anyway. it is very greek in its imagining ...the youthfulness of the subject ..the pose ....but not the arms..... paedophilic.....homoerotic
Name: Kimberly
Date: 2004-09-23
Comments: Absolutley stunning peice by Donatello... my favorite of all the David variations... Would love to see it in person though.... :/
Not by human hands
Name: Ashley
Date: 2004-10-24
Comments: I like this statue very much because of its material (bronze) and the expression on this characters face. I think it is very breath-taking and very beautiful. I think the nudity of a statue looks more natural, it gives the statue real... I wanna say Potential and makes you think about the details. I notice that mostly all the sculptures from Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Michaelangelou and Donatello are all nude people, I wonder why this is.
Name: tim
Date: 2005-01-09
Comments: I have just returned from a trip to Florence and have been lucky enough to see the bronze in the Bargello. It is beautiful and small, not like Michaelangelo's towering more masculine David. The Donatello is unashamedly erotic. I have always found its form in photographs to be relaxing whereas the other David is more vigorous. In Florence I saw plenty of paintings and statues and in the early renaissance the male form either pre-pubescent or post seems to have been the Florentine norm. It is only later that the naked female form becomes the source of artistic activity, that the male is supplanted. If you have the chance to visit Florence, do so. The art is stunning (even though the mainly biblical subject matter does begin to weary one) but the talent around at the time, whether you like it or not, was exceptional.
Name: Tatum
Date: 2006-02-08
Comments: why did Donatello cast in bronze, and what did this signify? was is the cost of the material, symbolizing the richness, or was it a detail thing?>?
thanks
Tatum
Name: Sez
Date: 2006-11-10
Comments: Touching on what someone mentioned before the subject of this is undeniably a sensual David, but the content goes beyond this. Is the purpose to narrate the biblical story and educate the poeple? I doubt it. This work reeks of individualism- the desire to appreciate the accomplishment of david which would have been inspirational to the warring florintines, and the increasing desire to recognise the individual talent of the artist. Biblical? It's really quite pagan,ironic isn't it?!
Name: Nelson
Date: 2007-09-14
Comments: To understand Donatello's culture you need to keep in mind that he used models. These models often came from the streets, as artists have often been patrons of taverns and brothels. The same for priests. We see the strain of pederasty emerging from the shadows in the Church today. The priests of Donatello's day were as much pederastic as the priests of today, except that the fact of homosexuality was taken much less seriously in 14th and 15th century Florence. The David was actually a centerpiece in the atrium of a Cardinal's residence. It celebrates the beauty of youth and is unabashedly erotic, bless Donatello's soul. The hat on David's head is a not-so-subtle joke. That hat was commonly worn by male prostitutes of the time! Did you every wonder why a young warrior would wear a hat with garlands of flowers?
Another well known pederast was Caravaggio. You should check out his John the Baptist some time. The lad is nude, laying on a sumptuous fur piece, with his arms around the head of a goat whose horns form the letter M - Michelange Merissi, Caravaggio, the old goat himself. The painting was commissioned by a Cardinal and the theme enabled his Holiness to view a certain boy of the street over dinner every evening with complete innocence.
We take ourselves too seriously. The boy has a great ass, and we should fall to our knees and be thankful for it!
Nelson
