Donatello created the bronze David, an early freestanding nude statue of the Renaissance. Made in Florence in the 15th century, it presents the biblical hero after his victory over Goliath, with the giant’s severed head at his feet.
The statue is notable because it revived the classical tradition of a freestanding nude male figure in bronze. Its relaxed stance, known as contrapposto, gives the body a natural shift of weight while recalling ancient Greek and Roman sculpture.
Donatello’s David is often confused with Michelangelo’s later marble David, which was made in Florence around 1501–1504 and is much larger. Donatello’s work is smaller and more enigmatic, and its original commissioning circumstances are debated. It is now associated with the Bargello museum in Florence, where many important Florentine sculptures are displayed.