CLEP Western Civ I

Answer: E - Michelangelo’s David was sculpted in the early 16th century to sit on top of the cathedral in Florence. However, the marble statue was so large upon completion (standing 17 feet tall and weighing six tons) that they elected to not to attempt to hoist it to the roof. David was the symbol of the city of Florence, which is why he was such a recurrent figure in Renaissance sculpture (Verrocchio and Donatello both sculpted David before Michelangelo). Michelangelo’s version demonstrates a few important themes, though, primarily the extent of Greek and Roman influence on the Renaissance. Though David was a biblical figure, his appearance is unmistakably classical, not Judaic or contemporary to the Renaissance.