Michelangelo's David

Michelangelo was born in 1475 in Caprese, Florentine Republic. He was a sculptor, painter and architect. Vasari described him as the greatest artist since the beginning of the Renaissance. His two best known sculptures are David and Pieta (now in the St Peter's Basilica, Rome) and his famous frescoes depicting the scenes from Genesis on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and later The Last Judgement on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel have no equal

David is 17 feet tall and weighs 5,560 kg. Carved from a block of marble between 1501 and 1504, David is an account of the battle between David and Goliath. Traditionally David has been portrayed after his victory over Goliath with the severed head of Goliath by his side but Michelangelo chose to portray David before the battle with only his rock and sling.

We all wanted a photo with David

Hall of the Prisoners

The four unfinished sculptures of prisoners or slaves were sculpted by Michelangelo between 1519 and 1534. They were intended to adorn the tomb of Julius II in the Basilica of St Peter in Rome. However the project was scaled down and the sculptures remained with Michaelangelo. They were given to Cosimo I de Medici when he died. 

Awakening Slave

Young Slave

Atlas Slave

Bearded Slave

It has been suggested that Michelangelo left the statues in various stages of completion intentinally to depict the human struggle to free itself from materialistic desires i.e the prisoner trying to break out of the marble block.

Palestrina Pieta

The Virgin and St John the Evangelist holding up the lifeless body of Christ

St Matthew 

This was intended as one of the 12 Apostles for the Duomo in Florence

Hall of the Colossus

This is the first hall that you see as you enter the Accademia. A plaster cast of  Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna stands in the hall. It is a rare 16th century model in unfired clay created on a 1:1 scale. The original still stands in the Loggia del Lanzi.

A replica of Rape of the Sabine Women 

Immaculate Conception Dispute by Giovanni

Christ in Mercy

Dance at a Wdding Party by Giovanni

(The baptistery is in the background)

Annunciation by Lippi

The Trinity and Saints Benedict and Giovanni Gualberto by Alesso Baldovenetti

Galleria dell Accademia

The Academia was established in 1784 to teach the techniques of drawing, painting and sculpture. The art collection displayed here enabled the students to study and copy.

Our timed entry into the Accademia was at 10.00 am

Queuing to enter

Santissima Annunziata

This church was built over an earlier church and the present structure was completed in the 15th century

The Cloister

15th century frescoes adorned the wall in the cloisters

Third day in Florence

We managed to buy our tickets online for The Galleria dell Accademia for timed entry at 10.00 am. So we visited the Santissima Annunziata first as it near the Accademia.

Getting ready to go

Dinner at Osteria La Scala

Garganelli al ragu

Pappardelle al ragu

Tortelli di burrata

Tuscan red wine and black pepper beef stew

Piazzale Michelangelo

This square was constructed in 1869 in memory of the great Renaissance artist Michelangelo. It provides a panoramic view of Florence

A bronze replica of David

Ponte Vecchio

Renaissance Florence