David c. 1521
[THE NARRATOR, spoken]
Epifanio Medici’s statue of the David stands out for its unusually withdrawn posture, and introspective expression—setting it apart from, for example, Michelangelo’s brave, virile young man, or Donatello’s soft-lipped coquette. In fact, Epifanio used his then-ten year old daughter Antonia as his model for the work, allegedly due to her own interest in sculpture, and her fascination with David’s story. According to Anzola’s diary, “...upon turning ten, Antonia cropped off all her beautiful long hair with embroidery scissors before the sun had risen. She says it is to mimic the martyr woman Joan of Arc, and also to avoid having to braid it, and so I did not chastise her.”

Because of this, the sculpture is a naturalistic depiction of the Medici daughter, who wears a rather anachronistic toga-like garment. David is clearly, and almost heart-wrenchingly a child here, sitting on a rock and contemplating his empty slate.

[INTRUDER]
Oh f—you’re recording, I’m sorry!

[THE NARRATOR]
His back is turned away from Goliath’s severed head, which seems to dwarf him in size.

That such an insightful and original depiction of this Biblical character has survived the ravages of time is astounding, and the fact that this sculpture doubles as a veiled, but ultimately touching portrait of Epifanio’s only child to survive birth is equally miraculous.