A naked man is a naked man

Today I am in love with the city of Florence again. I seem to have a constant push and pull between admiration and annoyance here.

A large part of this is that I finally had the pleasure of visiting Galleria dell' Accademia, the home of Michelangelo's David.

I was excited about going to an art museum in general, but not particularly about David. After all, I've seen numerous photographs of the statue and every tourist trap in Florence sells mini David's so you can take him home with you. I thought I had already seen of the marble figure.

However, he is incredibly striking in person. I'm planning on going back with my sketch book just so I have an excuse to stare at the figure as long as I want.

Since I'm technically not supposed to take pictures in The Accademia, and my art history teacher would have fussed at me if I attempted to do so, I can only describe the home of David. The hall is lined with the unfinished prisoner statues that were oringially intended for the tomb of Pope Julius II. I'm told that the prisoners is a modern term for the peices because the figures seem to be trying to freetheselves from the stone.
These figures are almost like 3D sketches. The cisel marks still present are like cross hatching and they give insight to how bold an artist Michelangleo was. He went stright into the marble leaving no room for mistake.
Maybe he really was freeing these figures from inside the block.

Then at the end of the Hall is the clear star of The Accademia.
The symobol of Florence represented as an anicent god.
The light from a ceiling window dancing on his features and adding to the effect.
Breath taking.