Biblical Art
...ath, above the head of the mighty giant. The Donatello statue depicts David in the almost completely nude. The figure is wearing a pair of boots and a hat. This might have been done to serve as a response to religious communities disdain for a nude statue of a very popular Biblical figure, as well an ancestor of Christ. Donatello would of respond “He’s not nude; he’s got his hat and boots on”. The articles of clothing of David are very symbolic. The boots warn by David, are army boots. Therefore he can be viewed as a warrior. The hat worn is one that would be worn by a peasant, shepherd, and other working class folk. This could have been done to show comparing him to common folks. The figure as well portrays David as a more feminine person than any other work of the series. The long hair of David, is reminiscent of that of a females. The arms of David are slender much like a young female, there are pubescent feminine breasts as well and the size of the work is mere 5 foot 2 inches. In addition the positioning of the hands on the hips is extremely feminine looking. If not for the penis, one might mistake this work for a female A third David is the one by Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini. Bernini was the dominant figure of Baroque art period. Born in 1598 in Naples, Italy and dying in 1680. The work was done in 1623 during the Italian Baroque period. Unlike some of the others, this David was fully dressed and unlike the others was during the fight. Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini of all the depictions of the David series had the best and most believable work. The work was of the most realistic portrayal to the biblical story. In his work Bernini wanted to keep this as loyal to the way it really was in the bible. The other three sculptors were not as concerned with the truth and accuracy of the work In the work David is swinging the slingshot toward Goliath, while the armor he was to wear is laying at his feet. There is as well a harp half covered by the feet of David. The harp is not a part of the bible story, it is theorized that Bernini decided to put it his story to show the artistic side of David. In later biblical stories is written that David was a great musician and only took a break from his music to do battle with the giant Goliath and save the people of Israel from the Philistine people. Bernini’s David was his first major work at the young age of 21. The features of David are those of Bernini, while working on the David, Bernini had his patron hold a mirror to his face to allow him to work. Andrea del Castagno did a unique portrayal of the David. Instead of a statue, he did it in the form of painting on a shield. This is his In the scene, David is portrayed as more youthful than the other works in this series. David is as well portrayed in vigorous motion, with the wind in his hair and drapery to his right. David raises his foreshortened left arm and stares as if sighting Goliath David’s body motion indicate that he is preparing to launch the stone from his slingshot and strike the mighty giant. In this work Castagno has created two separate scenes in one. One scene that is being shown is that he readying to do battle with Goliath. The second scene that is taking...