Michelangelo’s “David” was sculpted between 1501 and 1504. The commission came from Florence’s cathedral authorities, who wanted a colossal marble prophet for the roofline of Santa Maria del Fiore. Michelangelo received the contract in August 1501 and began carving the enormous block, known as il gigante, soon afterward.
The marble had already challenged earlier sculptors. Agostino di Duccio began working on it in the 1460s, and Antonio Rossellino was later asked to continue, but the block was abandoned for decades. Michelangelo’s solution transformed its flaws and narrow proportions into a tense, alert figure shown before battle rather than after victory.
David stands about 5.17 metres tall and is carved from Carrara marble. Although intended for the cathedral, its great size made rooftop installation impractical. Florentine officials instead placed it beside the Palazzo della Signoria in 1504, where it became a powerful symbol of the republic. It is now displayed at Florence’s Galleria dell’Accademia.