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:''[[David (Michelangelo)]]'' :''[[David (Michelangelo)]]''
-[[Michelangelo]]'s '''''David''''', sculpted from 1501 to 1504, is a masterpiece of [[Renaissance]] [[sculpture]] and one of Michelangelo's two greatest works of sculpture, along with the ''[[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]]''. It is the ''David'' alone that almost certainly holds the title of the most recognizable statue in the history of art. It has become regarded as a symbol both of strength and youthful human beauty. The 5.17 meter (17 ft) [[marble statue]] portrays the [[Bible|Biblical]] [[David|King David]] at the moment that he decides to do battle with [[Goliath]]. It came to symbolise the [[Florentine Republic]], an independent [[city state]] threatened on all sides by more powerful rival states. This interpretation was also encouraged by the original setting of the sculpture outside the [[Palazzo Vecchio|Palazzo della Signoria]], the seat of civic government in [[Florence]]. The completed sculpture was unveiled on [[8 September]] [[1504]].+==Representation in art and literature==
-==Style and detail==+[[Image:David von Michelangelo.jpg|thumb|250px|''[[David (Michelangelo)|David]]'', [[Michelangelo]], 1500-1504.]]
-Michelangelo's ''David'' is based on artistic drawings of the male human form. He considered sculpture to be the highest form of art because, among other reasons, it mimics [[creation myth|divine creation]]. Because Michelangelo adhered to the concepts of [[Disegno|''disegno'']], he worked under the premise that the image of ''David'' was already in the block of stone he was working on — in much the same way as the human [[soul]] is found within the physical body. It is also an example of the [[contrapposto]] style of posing the human form.+
-In the High Renaissance, contrapposto poses were thought of as a distinctive feature of antique sculpture. As exemplified in Michelangelo’s David, sculptured from 1501 to 1504, the figure stands with one leg holding its full weight and the other leg relaxed. This classic pose causes the figure’s hips and shoulders to rest at opposite angles, giving a slight s-curve to the entire torso. In addition, the statue faces to the left while the left arm leans on his left shoulder with his [[Sling (weapon)|sling]] flung down behind his back. Michelangelo’s David has become one of the most recognized pieces of Renaissance Sculpture, becoming a symbol of both strength and youthful human beauty.+===Art===
 +Famous sculptures of David include (in chronological order) those by:
 +* [[Donatello]] (''c.'' 1430 - 1440), [[David (Donatello)|''David'' (Donatello)]]
 +* [[Andrea del Verrocchio]] (1476), [[David (Verrocchio)|''David'' (Verrocchio)]]
 +* [[Michelangelo]] (1504), [[David (Michelangelo)|''David'' (Michaelangelo)]]
 +* [[Gian Lorenzo Bernini]] (1624), [[David (Bernini)|''David'' (Bernini)]]
 +* [[Antonin Mercié]] (1873)
-The proportions are not quite true to the human form; the head and upper body are somewhat larger than the proportions of the lower body. The hands are also larger than would be in regular proportions. While some have suggested that this is of the [[mannerism|mannerist]] style, another explanation is that the statue was originally intended to be placed on a church [[façade]] or high [[pedestal]], and that the proportions would appear correct when the statue was viewed from some distance below. <!--these are not published "theories": Another theory is that in the story, David was only thirteen or fourteen years old when he encountered Goliath, therefore the over large hands and feet are intended to portray an adolescent male not fully grown. +===Literature===
-Others suggest the head and hands were created larger to represent thinking with the brain and working with the hands, while the genitals were created smaller to imply that David was not allowing himself to make decisions with pleasure in mind. It is said that his right hand is larger than his left hand because he had the "right hand" of god while defeating goliath. It is also said that it is bigger because of balance issues so the statue would not fall over. -->+* [[Dryden]]'s long poem [[Absalom and Achitophel]] is an allegory that uses the story of the rebellion of [[Absalom]] against King David as the basis for his satire of the contemporary political situation, including events such as the [[Monmouth Rebellion]] (1685), the [[Popish Plot]] (1678) and the [[Exclusion Crisis]].
 +* [[Elmer Davis]]'s novel ''Giant Killer'' (1928, The John Day company) retells and embellishes the Biblical story of David, casting David as primarily a poet who managed always to find others to do the "dirty work" of heroism and kingship. In the novel, [[Elhanan]] in fact killed [[Goliath]] but David claimed the credit; and [[Joab]], David's cousin and general, took it upon himself to make many of the difficult decisions of war and statecraft when David vacillated or wrote poetry instead.
 +* [[Gladys Schmitt]] wrote a novel titled "David the King" (1946, Doubleday Books) which proceeds as a richly embellished biography of David's entire life. The book took a risk, especially for its time, in portraying David's relationship with Jonathan as overtly [[homoerotic]], but was ultimately panned by critics as a bland rendition of the title character.
 +* In [[Thomas Burnett Swann]]'s Biblical [[fantasy]] [[novel]] ''How are the Mighty Fallen'' (1974, DAW) [[David and Jonathan]] are explicitly stated to be lovers. Moreover, Jonathan is a member of a winged semi-human race (possibly [[nephilim]]), one of several such races co-existing with humanity but often persecuted by it.
 +* [[Joseph Heller]], the author of ''[[Catch-22]]'', also wrote a novel based on David, ''[[God Knows (novel)|God Knows]]'' (1984, Simon & Schuster). Told from the perspective of an aging David, the humanity—rather than the heroism—of various biblical characters are emphasized. The portrayal of David as a man of flaws such as greed, lust, selfishness, and his alienation from God, the falling apart of his family is a distinctly 20th century interpretation of the events told in the Bible.
 +* Jill Eileen Smith's "The Wives of King David" (2009, Revell) is a Christian series that depicts the biblical David's life through the eyes of his famous wives: [[Michal]], [[Abigail]] and [[Bathsheba]]. The first fiction is set against the 'backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and desert escapes as Princess Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as one of the wives of David.'
 +* ''Day of War'' by Cliff Graham (2009, Tate) is a novel about the early years of David told from the perspective of his warriors.
 +* [[Juan Bosch]], Dominican political leader and writer, wrote "David: Biography of a King" (1966, Hawthorn, NY) a realistic approach to David's life and political career.
 +* [[Allan Massie]] wrote "King David" (1996, Sceptre), a novel about David's career which portrays the king's relationship to Jonathan and others as openly [[Homosexuality|homosexual]].
 +* [[Madeleine L'Engle]]'s novel ''Certain Women'' (1993, HarperOne) explores family, the Christian faith, and the nature of God through the story of King David's family and an analogous modern family's saga.
 +* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] used the story of David and [[Bathsheba]] as the main structure for the [[Sherlock Holmes]] story the ''[[Crooked Man]]''. The betrayal of the Crooked Man is paralleled with David's betrayal of [[Uriah the Hittite]], carried out in order to win [[Bathsheba]].
 +* Stefan Heym's "The King David Report" (1998, Northwestern University Press) is a fiction depicting the writings of the Bible historian, Ethan, upon King [[Solomon]]'s orders, of a true and authoritative report on the life of David, Son of Jesse.
-Commentators have noted David's apparently [[circumcision|uncircumcised]] form, which is at odds with [[Brit milah|Judaic practice]], but is considered consistent with the conventions of Renaissance art.+===Film===
-{{GFDL}}+* [[Gregory Peck]], played King David in the 1951 film ''[[David and Bathsheba]]'', directed by [[Henry King (director)|Henry King]]. [[Susan Hayward]] played Bathsheba and [[Raymond Massey]] played the prophet Nathan.
-{{Template}}+* [[Finlay Currie]], played an aged King David in the 1959 film ''[[Solomon and Sheba]]'', directed by [[King Vidor]]. [[Yul Brynner]] played Solomon and [[Gina Lollobrigida]] played the Queen of Sheba.
-:''[[David (Michelangelo)]]''+* [[Richard Gere]] portrayed King David in the 1985 film ''[[King David (film)|King David]]'' directed by [[Bruce Beresford]].
-[[Michelangelo]]'s '''''David''''', sculpted from 1501 to 1504, is a masterpiece of [[Renaissance]] [[sculpture]] and one of Michelangelo's two greatest works of sculpture, along with the ''[[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]]''. It is the ''David'' alone that almost certainly holds the title of the most recognizable statue in the history of art. It has become regarded as a symbol both of strength and youthful human beauty. The 5.17 meter (17 ft) [[marble statue]] portrays the [[Bible|Biblical]] [[David|King David]] at the moment that he decides to do battle with [[Goliath]]. It came to symbolise the [[Florentine Republic]], an independent [[city state]] threatened on all sides by more powerful rival states. This interpretation was also encouraged by the original setting of the sculpture outside the [[Palazzo Vecchio|Palazzo della Signoria]], the seat of civic government in [[Florence]]. The completed sculpture was unveiled on [[8 September]] [[1504]].+* [[Nathaniel Parker]] portrayed King David in the 1997 film "David", with [[Leonard Nimoy]] as Samuel and [[Jonathan Pryce]] as Saul
-==Style and detail==+
-Michelangelo's ''David'' is based on artistic drawings of the male human form. He considered sculpture to be the highest form of art because, among other reasons, it mimics [[creation myth|divine creation]]. Because Michelangelo adhered to the concepts of [[Disegno|''disegno'']], he worked under the premise that the image of ''David'' was already in the block of stone he was working on &mdash; in much the same way as the human [[soul]] is found within the physical body. It is also an example of the [[contrapposto]] style of posing the human form.+
-In the High Renaissance, contrapposto poses were thought of as a distinctive feature of antique sculpture. As exemplified in Michelangelo’s David, sculptured from 1501 to 1504, the figure stands with one leg holding its full weight and the other leg relaxed. This classic pose causes the figure’s hips and shoulders to rest at opposite angles, giving a slight s-curve to the entire torso. In addition, the statue faces to the left while the left arm leans on his left shoulder with his [[Sling (weapon)|sling]] flung down behind his back. Michelangelo’s David has become one of the most recognized pieces of Renaissance Sculpture, becoming a symbol of both strength and youthful human beauty.+===Music===
 +* [[Josquin des Pres]]'s Absalon fili mi is a polyphonic lamentation from David's perspective on the death of his son.
 +* [[Arthur Honegger]]'s oratorio, ''[[Le Roi David (Honegger)|Le Roi David]]'' ('King David'), with a libretto by Rene Morax, was composed in 1921 and instantly became a staple of the choral repertoire; it is still widely performed.
 +* [[Leonard Cohen]]'s song "[[Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen song)|Hallelujah]]" has references to David ("there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord", "The baffled king composing Hallelujah") and [[Bathsheba]] ("you saw her bathing on the roof") in its opening verses.
 +* "Mad About You", a song on [[Sting (musician)|Sting's]] 1991 album ''[[The Soul Cages]]'' explores David's obsession with Bathsheba from David's perspective.
 +* [[Dead (Pixies song)|Dead]] by the [[Pixies]] is a retelling of David's adultery and repentance.
 +* [[Herbert Howells]] (1892-1983) composed an artsong for voice and piano called "King David".
 +* [[Eric Whitacre]] wrote a song, "When David Heard," based on [[2 Samuel]], chronicling the death of David's son, [[Absalom]] and David's grief over losing his son.
 +* [[mewithoutYou]] has a song from their album [[It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright]], entitled "The Angel of Death Came to David's Room," which tells the story of David struggle with the Angel of Death when his (David's) time of death has arrived. It is based on on folk tradition of King David and some Hebrew Bible.
-The proportions are not quite true to the human form; the head and upper body are somewhat larger than the proportions of the lower body. The hands are also larger than would be in regular proportions. While some have suggested that this is of the [[mannerism|mannerist]] style, another explanation is that the statue was originally intended to be placed on a church [[façade]] or high [[pedestal]], and that the proportions would appear correct when the statue was viewed from some distance below. <!--these are not published "theories": Another theory is that in the story, David was only thirteen or fourteen years old when he encountered Goliath, therefore the over large hands and feet are intended to portray an adolescent male not fully grown. +===Musical Theatre===
-Others suggest the head and hands were created larger to represent thinking with the brain and working with the hands, while the genitals were created smaller to imply that David was not allowing himself to make decisions with pleasure in mind. It is said that his right hand is larger than his left hand because he had the "right hand" of god while defeating goliath. It is also said that it is bigger because of balance issues so the statue would not fall over. -->+* [[King David (musical)|King David]], a modern oratorio, with a book and lyrics by [[Tim Rice]] and music by [[Alan Menken]].
 + 
 +===Television===
 +* In 2009, NBC introduced the series ''[[Kings (U.S. TV series)|Kings]]'', which was explicitly designed as a modern retelling of the David story.
 +* In the PBS television series [[Wishbone (TV series)|Wishbone]] the episode "Little Big Dog" recounts the story of David, his favor with Saul, and his triumphant battle over Goliath.
 + 
 +===Cards===
 +For a considerable period, starting in the 15th century and continuing until the 19th, French [[playing card]] manufacturers assigned to each of the court cards names taken from history or mythology. In this context, the King of Spades was often known as "David".
-Commentators have noted David's apparently [[circumcision|uncircumcised]] form, which is at odds with [[Brit milah|Judaic practice]], but is considered consistent with the conventions of Renaissance art. 
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David (Michelangelo)

Contents

Representation in art and literature

Art

Famous sculptures of David include (in chronological order) those by:

Literature

  • Dryden's long poem Absalom and Achitophel is an allegory that uses the story of the rebellion of Absalom against King David as the basis for his satire of the contemporary political situation, including events such as the Monmouth Rebellion (1685), the Popish Plot (1678) and the Exclusion Crisis.
  • Elmer Davis's novel Giant Killer (1928, The John Day company) retells and embellishes the Biblical story of David, casting David as primarily a poet who managed always to find others to do the "dirty work" of heroism and kingship. In the novel, Elhanan in fact killed Goliath but David claimed the credit; and Joab, David's cousin and general, took it upon himself to make many of the difficult decisions of war and statecraft when David vacillated or wrote poetry instead.
  • Gladys Schmitt wrote a novel titled "David the King" (1946, Doubleday Books) which proceeds as a richly embellished biography of David's entire life. The book took a risk, especially for its time, in portraying David's relationship with Jonathan as overtly homoerotic, but was ultimately panned by critics as a bland rendition of the title character.
  • In Thomas Burnett Swann's Biblical fantasy novel How are the Mighty Fallen (1974, DAW) David and Jonathan are explicitly stated to be lovers. Moreover, Jonathan is a member of a winged semi-human race (possibly nephilim), one of several such races co-existing with humanity but often persecuted by it.
  • Joseph Heller, the author of Catch-22, also wrote a novel based on David, God Knows (1984, Simon & Schuster). Told from the perspective of an aging David, the humanity—rather than the heroism—of various biblical characters are emphasized. The portrayal of David as a man of flaws such as greed, lust, selfishness, and his alienation from God, the falling apart of his family is a distinctly 20th century interpretation of the events told in the Bible.
  • Jill Eileen Smith's "The Wives of King David" (2009, Revell) is a Christian series that depicts the biblical David's life through the eyes of his famous wives: Michal, Abigail and Bathsheba. The first fiction is set against the 'backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and desert escapes as Princess Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as one of the wives of David.'
  • Day of War by Cliff Graham (2009, Tate) is a novel about the early years of David told from the perspective of his warriors.
  • Juan Bosch, Dominican political leader and writer, wrote "David: Biography of a King" (1966, Hawthorn, NY) a realistic approach to David's life and political career.
  • Allan Massie wrote "King David" (1996, Sceptre), a novel about David's career which portrays the king's relationship to Jonathan and others as openly homosexual.
  • Madeleine L'Engle's novel Certain Women (1993, HarperOne) explores family, the Christian faith, and the nature of God through the story of King David's family and an analogous modern family's saga.
  • Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used the story of David and Bathsheba as the main structure for the Sherlock Holmes story the Crooked Man. The betrayal of the Crooked Man is paralleled with David's betrayal of Uriah the Hittite, carried out in order to win Bathsheba.
  • Stefan Heym's "The King David Report" (1998, Northwestern University Press) is a fiction depicting the writings of the Bible historian, Ethan, upon King Solomon's orders, of a true and authoritative report on the life of David, Son of Jesse.

Film

Music

  • Josquin des Pres's Absalon fili mi is a polyphonic lamentation from David's perspective on the death of his son.
  • Arthur Honegger's oratorio, Le Roi David ('King David'), with a libretto by Rene Morax, was composed in 1921 and instantly became a staple of the choral repertoire; it is still widely performed.
  • Leonard Cohen's song "Hallelujah" has references to David ("there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord", "The baffled king composing Hallelujah") and Bathsheba ("you saw her bathing on the roof") in its opening verses.
  • "Mad About You", a song on Sting's 1991 album The Soul Cages explores David's obsession with Bathsheba from David's perspective.
  • Dead by the Pixies is a retelling of David's adultery and repentance.
  • Herbert Howells (1892-1983) composed an artsong for voice and piano called "King David".
  • Eric Whitacre wrote a song, "When David Heard," based on 2 Samuel, chronicling the death of David's son, Absalom and David's grief over losing his son.
  • mewithoutYou has a song from their album It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright, entitled "The Angel of Death Came to David's Room," which tells the story of David struggle with the Angel of Death when his (David's) time of death has arrived. It is based on on folk tradition of King David and some Hebrew Bible.

Musical Theatre

Television

  • In 2009, NBC introduced the series Kings, which was explicitly designed as a modern retelling of the David story.
  • In the PBS television series Wishbone the episode "Little Big Dog" recounts the story of David, his favor with Saul, and his triumphant battle over Goliath.

Cards

For a considerable period, starting in the 15th century and continuing until the 19th, French playing card manufacturers assigned to each of the court cards names taken from history or mythology. In this context, the King of Spades was often known as "David".


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