Two of the most famous sculptures in Western art share a subject and a name. Michelangelo’s David, carved 1501-1504 in Florence, is the calm pre-battle David standing at 17 feet tall. Bernini’s David, carved 1623-1624 in Rome, is the mid-throw action David at roughly 5.5 feet tall. They represent two centuries apart and two different sculptural sensibilities — Renaissance composure versus Baroque dynamism. This guide covers the size, location, sculpture history, and viewing options for both.
Michelangelo’s David — The Facts
Michelangelo Buonarroti carved his David between 1501 and 1504. The work is among the most reproduced and most photographed sculptures in Western art.
- Height: 17 feet 0 inches (5.17 meters) including the base. The figure alone is roughly 14 feet 3 inches tall.
- Weight: approximately 12,500 pounds (5,572 kilograms) of Carrara marble.
- Material: white Carrara marble from a single block, previously abandoned by sculptors Agostino di Duccio (1463) and Antonio Rossellino (1476) before Michelangelo accepted the commission in 1501.
- Subject: The Biblical David before his battle with Goliath. Michelangelo shows the contemplative moment before action, distinct from earlier Renaissance Davids (Donatello, Verrocchio), which showed David after the victory.
- Original location: Piazza della Signoria in Florence, installed in 1504 as a political symbol of the Florentine Republic.
- Current location: Galleria dell’Accademia, Florence (moved indoors in 1873 to protect from weathering). A replica stands at the original Piazza della Signoria placement.
Bernini’s David — The Facts
Gian Lorenzo Bernini carved his David between 1623 and 1624, when he was 24 years old. The work shows David in the moment of throwing the stone at Goliath.
- Height: approximately 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 meters), nearly life-size.
- Material: Carrara marble (the same marble Michelangelo used).
- Subject: The Biblical David in mid-action, twisting his body to throw the stone. Bernini shows the action moment that Michelangelo deliberately avoided.
- Commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the major Roman art patron of the early 17th century.
- Current location: Galleria Borghese, Rome (where it has been since 1624).
- Considered Bernini’s first major mature work. He went on to produce Apollo and Daphne (1622-1625) and Ecstasy of Saint Teresa (1647-1652) in the same Baroque sensibility.
Side-by-Side Comparison
The two Davids are often discussed together because they show how the same subject can produce different sculptures under different artistic sensibilities.
| Attribute | Michelangelo’s David | Bernini’s David |
| Year | 1501-1504 | 1623-1624 |
| Period | High Renaissance | Early Baroque |
| Height | 17 ft (5.17 m) | 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) |
| Sculptor age | 26-29 | 24-25 |
| Moment depicted | Before battle | Mid-throw |
| Pose | Standing, contemplative | Twisting, in action |
| Location | Florence | Rome |
| Museum | Galleria dell’Accademia | Galleria Borghese |
| Material | Carrara marble | Carrara marble |
Two Different Sculptural Sensibilities
The two Davids embody the Renaissance versus Baroque transition.
Michelangelo’s Renaissance Approach
Balanced contrapposto pose with weight on the right leg. Calm psychological state — David considers the coming action. Idealised classical proportions referencing Greek and Roman tradition. The viewer reads the figure from a single primary viewpoint.
Bernini’s Baroque Approach
Twisting helicoidal pose with body in mid-action. Dramatic psychological state — David is mid-throw, brow furrowed, biting his lower lip in concentration. The viewer must walk around the figure to read the full action sequence — multiple viewpoints reveal different aspects.
The 119-Year Gap
The Baroque sensibility emerged from the Counter-Reformation’s emphasis on emotional and dramatic religious art. The calm Renaissance Davids of Michelangelo, Donatello, and Verrocchio gave way to Bernini’s action-frozen Baroque approach. Both approaches remain valid sculptural traditions, used by different sculptors for different effects.
Other Famous Davids
Michelangelo and Bernini are not the only major sculptors to have produced David sculptures.
- Donatello’s bronze David (c. 1440) — the first Western freestanding bronze nude since antiquity. Now at the Bargello, Florence. Shows David after the victory, foot on Goliath’s severed head.
- Donatello’s marble David (1408-1409) — earlier marble version. Also at the Bargello.
- Andrea del Verrocchio’s bronze David (c. 1473-1475) — younger and more delicate than Donatello’s. Now at the Bargello.
- Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s David is the action-Baroque interpretation. Most major Renaissance and Baroque sculptors worked on the subject at some point.
Visiting and Viewing
Both Davids are accessible to tourists in their respective museums.
- Michelangelo’s David — Galleria dell’Accademia, Florence. Advance booking strongly recommended; same-day tickets often sell out. David stands in a purpose-built tribune at the end of a long gallery with viewing benches.
- Bernini’s David — Galleria Borghese, Rome. Advance booking is mandatory (2-hour timed entries). David sits in the same museum as Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne, The Rape of Proserpina, and Aeneas and Anchises — one Roman afternoon covers the major part of Bernini’s early career.
- Replicas: a full-size David replica stands at the original Piazza della Signoria placement in Florence (free, outdoor). The Cast Court at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London holds a full-size plaster cast of Michelangelo’s David made in 1857.
- Home reproductions: cast marble and marble-resin David reproductions are widely available at $200 to $25,000, depending on size, quality, and craftsmanship.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is the sculpture of David?
Michelangelo’s David is 17 feet 0 inches (5.17 meters) tall, including the base, with the figure alone roughly 14 feet 3 inches. Bernini’s David is approximately 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 meters), nearly life-size. The two famous Davids share a name and subject but differ dramatically in scale — Michelangelo’s monumental, Bernini’s nearly life-size.
Where is the sculpture of David?
Michelangelo’s David is at the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence (moved indoors in 1873 from the original Piazza della Signoria placement). A full-size replica stands at the original Piazza della Signoria location. Bernini’s David is at the Galleria Borghese in Rome, where it has been since 1624. Both are accessible to tourists, with advance booking strongly recommended.
Who made the sculpture of David?
Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) carved the most famous David, the 17-foot Carrara marble figure now at the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence (1501-1504). Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) carved the second-most famous David, the nearly life-size action figure at the Galleria Borghese in Rome (1623-1624). Donatello and Verrocchio also produced major Renaissance Davids, both at the Bargello in Florence.
What is the name of Bernini’s sculpture of David?
Bernini’s sculpture is simply called David (1623-1624). It depicts the Biblical David in mid-action, twisting his body to throw the stone at Goliath — distinct from Michelangelo’s Renaissance David, which shows the contemplative moment before the battle. The sculpture is at the Galleria Borghese in Rome, where it has remained since Cardinal Scipione Borghese commissioned it from the 24-year-old Bernini.
What is the difference between Michelangelo’s David and Bernini’s David?
Michelangelo’s David (1501-1504, Florence, 17 feet tall, Renaissance) shows David in calm contemplation before the battle with Goliath, standing in classical contrapposto pose. Bernini’s David (1623-1624, Rome, 5.5 feet tall, Baroque) shows David in mid-throw, body twisting helicoidally, brow furrowed in concentration. The 119-year gap embodies the Renaissance-to-Baroque transition — composure versus dynamism, single viewpoint versus multiple, classical balance versus dramatic motion.