David is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculpture in marble created from 1501 to 1504 by Michelangelo. With a height of 5.17 metres (17 ft 0 in), the David was not only the first colossal marble statue made in the High Renaissance, but also the first since classical antiquity, setting a precedent for the 16th century and beyond. David was originally commissioned as one of a series of statues of twelve prophets to be positioned along the roofline of the east end of Florence Cathedral, but was instead placed in the public square in front of the Palazzo della Signoria, the seat of civic government in Florence, where it was unveiled on 8 September 1504. In 1873, the statue was moved to the Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence.
Michelangelo begins work on his statue of David, a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture
David is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculpture in marble created from 1501 to 1504 by Michelangelo.
Historical Significance
David is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculpture in marble created from 1501 to 1504 by Michelangelo.
Key People
Events Before
Pedro Álvares Cabral is the first European to discover Brazil, landing near Monte Pascoal and claiming it for Portugal
Pedro Álvares Cabral was a Portuguese nobleman, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the European discoverer of Brazil.
"Blood Wedding" of Astorre Baglione & Lavinia Colonna in Perugia family Baglione massacre
"Blood Wedding" of Astorre Baglione & Lavinia Colonna in Perugia family Baglione massacre
King Manuel of Portugal (31) marries his second wife Maria of Aragon (18), daughter of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain an
King Manuel of Portugal (31) marries his second wife Maria of Aragon (18), daughter of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain and the sister of his first wife Isabella, in Alcácer do Sal
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón becomes the first European to set foot in Brazil
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón becomes the first European to set foot in Brazil
Battle of Hemmingstedt: German peasant army of Dithmarschen repels King John of Denmark and his brother Duke Frederick's
Battle of Hemmingstedt: German peasant army of Dithmarschen repels King John of Denmark and his brother Duke Frederick's army of Schleswig and Holstein
Events After
Founder of the Safavid dynasty, Ismail I, is crowned Shah of Persia (rules till 1524)
Founder of the Safavid dynasty, Ismail I, is crowned Shah of Persia (rules till 1524)
Jacobus IV of Scotland marries Margaretha Tudor
Jacobus IV of Scotland marries Margaretha Tudor
The present-day location of Rio de Janeiro is first explored
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Muslims in Granada forced to convert to Catholicism
Muslims in Granada forced to convert to Catholicism
Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, new Governor of the Indies sets sail for the Indies with fleet of 30 ships, largest-ever fl
Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, new Governor of the Indies sets sail for the Indies with fleet of 30 ships, largest-ever fleet to the New World
More from the 1500s
Battle of Diu: Portuguese Armada defeats a Mamluk Egyptian fleet in a naval battle at the port of Diu, India, establish
Battle of Diu: Portuguese Armada defeats a Mamluk Egyptian fleet in a naval battle at the port of Diu, India, establishing Portuguese trading control in the Indian Ocean
Maximilian I is proclaimed Holy Roman Emperor, the first emperor in centuries not crowned by the Pope
Maximilian I (22 March 1459 – 12 January 1519) was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 until his death in 1519.
Founder of the Safavid dynasty, Ismail I, is crowned Shah of Persia (rules till 1524)
Founder of the Safavid dynasty, Ismail I, is crowned Shah of Persia (rules till 1524)
The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid in the Vatican by Pope Julius II
The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid in the Vatican by Pope Julius II
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on September 13, 1501?
- David is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculpture in marble created from 1501 to 1504 by Michelangelo. With a height of 5.17 metres (17 ft 0 in), the David was not only the first colossal marble statue made in the High Renaissance, but also the first since classical antiquity, setting a precedent for the 16th century and beyond. David was originally commissioned as one of a series of statues of twelve prophets to be positioned along the roofline of the east end of Florence Cathedral, but was instead placed in the public square in front of the Palazzo della Signoria, the seat of civic government in Florence, where it was unveiled on 8 September 1504.
- Why is Michelangelo begins work on his statue of David, a masterpiece of Renaissance... significant?
- David is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculpture in marble created from 1501 to 1504 by Michelangelo.
- Who was involved in Michelangelo begins work on his statue of David, a masterpiece of Renaissance...?
- Key figures include Michelangelo (artist and architect).