Accademia Gallery, Florence

The museum was essentially built to house the iconic statue of the Italian Renaissance--Michelangelo's David. In this endeavor they were spectacularly successful. David is not unknown to me. I have seen several copies of the original (none quite as large), and I was not blown away by them. So in some ways I was ill prepared for just how spectacular the original David really is. He is larger than life, and the museum he is housed in sets him off to his best advantage. He is up on a pedestal, with his toes more or less at eye level, so you look up at him--which is how Michelangelo expected us to see him. The hall that you approach David through is lined with unfinished carvings that Michelangelo did for the tomb of Pope Julius II.

David stands under his own dome at the end of the hall, so the hall opens up onto him. You can walk around him, and look at him from a 360 degree perspective. Which is spectacular because he looks remarkably different from different vantage points. From the front he looks confident, almost cocky, leaning back a bit with his hips thrusting forward--but from the side he looks wary. How is he going to manage downing this much larger opponent? He is not so much beautiful as he is complicated. I think that suits a tribute to a man who went on to write Psalms. There is a semi-circular bench to sit on so you can contemplate David at your leisure. Without being distracted by aching feet (a reality in the art-saturated world of Florence). I wouldn't have predicted that I would respond this way. I have heard that people become overwhelmed, even psychotic, due to the magnificence of art in Florence. I didn't get it. I do love art--I have it in my house, I travel to see it, but I didn't see being moved by a particular piece. David is such a work of art that it can take your breath away. it is worth seeing in person, and it is worth making an effort for.