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7.4: David

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    Bernini's David

    6.png

    Artist: Gian Lorenzo Bernini
    Medium: Marble
    Art Historical Time Period: Baroque (1623–1624)

    Bernini’s David is a life-size marble sculpture created between 1623 and 1624. This dynamic sculpture captures the biblical hero David in the act of slinging a stone at Goliath. Unlike earlier Renaissance depictions by artists like Michelangelo, Bernini's David is full of movement and emotion, embodying the Baroque style's emphasis on drama and intensity.

    Bernini's sculpture is a moral tale of courage, faith, and divine justice. David, a humble shepherd, defeats a giant not with brute strength but with faith and determination. The sculpture's emotional realism and the moment of action create a sense of moral tension. Bernini’s David also reflects the Catholic Church’s aim during the Counter-Reformation to inspire spiritual feeling through emotionally engaging art.

     

    Student Authors

    • Mariana Vargas ’25 and Santiago Cortez ’24

    References and Image Attribution

    • Avery, C. (1997). Bernini: Genius of the Baroque. Thames & Hudson.

    • Hibbard, H. (1965). Bernini. Penguin Books.

    • Wittkower, R. (1955). The Sculptor of the Roman Baroque. Phaidon Press.

    • Image: “34- Gian Lorenzo Bernini, David, 1623-24 -FG34” via Wikimedia Commons by Jk1677, under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal. Modified from original.

     

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