Il nudo maschile nella statuaria italiana: DONATELLO: "Davide colla testa di Golia"

Speranza

The young DAVIDE, future king of ISRAEL, is one of the most important heroes of the Old Testament, and DOnatello has hosen to represent him after the completion of his heroic act.

STANDING ON GOLIA's severed head, DAVIDE causally holds the giant's great sord.

There is a crown of laurel on his hat, and a laurel wreath serves as the statue's CIRCULAR base.

In spite of these attributes, critics have long puzzled over what seems to be his essentially UNHEROIC, or even ANTI-heroic, nature.

Yet, Donatello's interpretation is NOT at odds with the biblical text, which explicitly refers to the youthfulness and beauty of JESSE's younger son.

"And Samuel said unto JESSE."

"Are here all THY CHILDREN?"

"And JESSE said,"

"There remaineth the YOUNGEST, and, behold, he keepeth the SHEEP. And he sent and brought him in."

"Now DAVIDE was ruddy, and withal of a BEAUTIFUL countenance, and goodly to look to."

(I SAMUEL 16:11-12).

"And when the PHILISTINE GOLIA looked about, and SAW DAVIDE, he disdained him."

"For DAVID was BUT a youth, and RUDDY, and of a FAIR countenance."

(I SAMUEL 17:42).

David's NUDITY has an oblique basis in the text as well, since I SAMUEL 17:38-9 tells how DAVIDE had first put on the armour of SAUL and then later removed it, having decided NOT to wear armour into battle.

EVEN David's NON-HEROIC behaviour and lack of EXULTATION over the defeated enemy may be clarified by the BIBLE, since before the battle, DAVID explained to the Philistines that the victory would not be his.

"I COME TO THEE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS. this day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand."

"And I will take thine head from thee."

"And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear."

"For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands."

I SAMUEL 17:45-7.

Donatello's "DAVID", then, is not only consistent with the traditional texts, but appropriately emphasises God's rolde in the boy's unexpected victory.

THIS bronze image is more complex than DONATELLO's EARLIER _marble_ "DAVID", where the elevated chin and self-condifent posing stress the hero's AWARENESS of his triumph.

The EARLY "DAVID" is completely self-centred.

The later BRONZE figure looks DOWNWARD, as if MUSING on his deed.

THE LOWERED HEAD suggest HUMILITY, the virtue for which DAVID was traditionally a SYMBOL.

A recent interpretation by PHILIP FEHL has suggested that the meditative quality of DONATELLO's bronze "DAVID" might be an indication that the modeler here wanted to incorporate OTHER aspects of David's historical personality.

COULD THIS FIGURE represent not merely the youthful hero, but also DAVID as the great musician and poet, author of the PSALMS?

The laurel on his hat would then allude not only to the MEDICI, but to the crown of LAUREL given to poets, and such an interpretation would certainly not be OUT OF PLACE in the circle of the MEDICI.

EVEN the nudity might be related to DAVID's later life, for when the Ark of the Covenant was returned to JERUSALEM, he danced naked in ecastasy.
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