In the 1470s, Lorenzo Medici and his brother Giuliano gave Verrocchio the job of making a statue of David.
David, a shepherd boy in a story from the Bible, had killed the giant, Goliath.
He was one of the patrons of the city.
Nowadays there are at least eight statues of David in Florence, the most famous one being by Michelangelo.

When Verrocchio made his statue, the most famous David in Florence was a life-sized bronze statue by Donatello.
This statue shows David naked, except for his boots and hat.
The figure stands gracefully, looking down at the giant head at his feet.
It looks very much like an Ancient Greek statue.
Verrochio's statue of David is very different, even though it is a similar size and is also made of bronze.

Verrocchio's statue looks like a real-live boy, dressed in modern parade clothes.
He does not stand elegantly.
His muscles are all drawn tight.
He grips the handle of the sword so tightly that the sinews of his arm stand out.
The muscles of his face are pulled into the silly grin that people sometimes get when they are very frightened.
Verrocchio's David has just killed the giant, but now he is facing the whole enemy army and wondering what will happen next.
The handsome boy that Verrocchio used as his model for David is believed to have been Leonardo da Vinci.

The Medici also gave Verrocchio the job of making a bronze statue of a Cherub with a Dolphin to go in the fountain of their home in the countryside.
The statue now stands in the small courtyard of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
In the 1470s, Lorenzo Medici and his brother Giuliano gave Verrocchio the job of making a statue of David. David, a shepherd boy in a story from the Bible, had killed the giant, Goliath. He was one of the patrons of the city. Nowadays there are at least eight statues of David in Florence, the most famous one being by Michelangelo.
When Verrocchio made his statue, the most famous David in Florence was a life-sized bronze statue by Donatello. This statue shows David naked, except for his boots and hat. The figure stands gracefully, looking down at the giant head at his feet. It looks very much like an Ancient Greek statue. Verrochio's statue of David is very different, even though it is a similar size and is also made of bronze.
Verrocchio's statue looks like a real-live boy, dressed in modern parade clothes. He does not stand elegantly. His muscles are all drawn tight. He grips the handle of the sword so tightly that the sinews of his arm stand out. The muscles of his face are pulled into the silly grin that people sometimes get when they are very frightened. Verrocchio's David has just killed the giant, but now he is facing the whole enemy army and wondering what will happen next. The handsome boy that Verrocchio used as his model for David is believed to have been Leonardo da Vinci.
The Medici also gave Verrocchio the job of making a bronze statue of a Cherub with a Dolphin to go in the fountain of their home in the countryside. The statue now stands in the small courtyard of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
Andrea del Verrocchio