Donatello’s David is widely regarded as the first major freestanding nude statue since antiquity.
Created in Florence during the 15th century, Donatello’s bronze David shows the biblical hero standing over the severed head of Goliath. The figure wears a broad-brimmed hat and boots, while the rest of the body is nude. Its relaxed contrapposto pose and sensual, youthful appearance made it strikingly different from many earlier medieval representations of biblical heroes.
The exact date is debated, but the sculpture is generally placed between about 1440 and 1460. It was probably made for the Medici family and is now displayed at the Bargello museum in Florence. Unlike Michelangelo’s later marble David, Donatello’s work is bronze and depicts David after the combat.
The two statues are often confused because both are Florentine masterpieces based on the same biblical story. Michelangelo’s David, completed in 1504, is a much larger marble figure shown before the fight, while Donatello’s sculpture emphasizes the aftermath.