Borghese Gallery - The David
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David and Goliath. The timeless story of the underdog winning against overwhelming odds. I’ve heard this story since I was a child in Sunday School. Bernini in one of his first commissions took on this story. While the David of Michelangelo was depicted at rest, Bernini chose to have his subject just as he would be before the fatal sequence was begun.
As I stood in front of the David, I thought about the position of the body. Bernini captured the same type of action as Giambologna did in the sculptures in Florence. Just before the action began, you can see the body tensed and ready for movement. However the most striking portion of the sculpture is the look of determination.
Bernini wanted to show the confidence and determination of his hero. Look at the pursed lips and furrowed brow in the photo above. Perfect anatomical rendering. No doubt Bernini used a model to gain the absolute best position possible. The last thing is the symbolism.
David, the Shepard boy was known for his skillful playing of the harp. It was said that King Saul would send for him to play to alleviate his moods. Beside that is the armor that was given to David who discarded it, and fought only with his faith.
The David is one of Bernini’s best known sculptures. It is worth a visit to Borghese to see it, but the Museum has so much more. Get your tickets well in advance.