Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy

Michelangelo’s Masterpiece, the Renaissance sculpture of David, and several other Michelangelo statues are at the Gallery of the Academy of Florence. The centerpiece is Michelangelo’s David, but there are also finished and unfinished statues by Michelangelo and several other impressive statues. Most of them are Renaissance Sculptures, even up to the 1800s.

Photoblog, Florence, Italy, April 12, 2025

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The Masterpiece Renaissance sculptures at the Gallery of the Academy of Florence steal the show away from the paintings. Michelangelo’s David is a show-stopper. Unlike paintings, Renaissance sculpture isn’t different from Greek or Roman sculptures. While paintings have improved, sculpture hasn’t changed and has always been great. One thing that makes Renaissance sculpture more interesting is how it is often complicated.

Pre-Renaissance paintings at The Gallery of the Academy

Renaissance paintings at The Gallery of the Academy

Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy (This article)

Photos Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy

Our first glimpse of the Michaelangelo's David. After entering the gallery we went to this statue first. Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — Our first glimpse of the Michaelangelo’s David. After entering the gallery, we went to see this statue first. You can see by the visitors already at the statue that we weren’t the only ones with this idea. Only a few minutes after this photo was taken, there wasn’t any room to walk around the statue due to the crowds.

Tami standing in front of the Masterpiece sculpture of David by Michelangelo Buonarroti in Marble. 1501 - 1504 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — Tami is standing in front of the masterpiece sculpture of David by Michelangelo. This is the second photo we took after entering the gallery.

Masterpiece sculpture of David by Michelangelo Buonarroti in Marble. 1501 - 1504 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — Masterpiece sculpture of David by Michelangelo Buonarroti in Marble. 1501 – 1504. This was what the statue looked like in real life. In the photo at the top, I added a little antique hue to the image. This statue sat outside for years, so some color changed over time. The outside of the sculpture has been replaced in its original location. When I get to that article, you will see the copy, not this original, in its place.

The sculpture was placed at the Palazzo Vecchio on September 8, 1504, until 1910, when a copy was installed.

Michelangelo wasn’t the first person to work on this marble piece, which is now the masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture we now call David. Another artist started the project and gave up, and Michelangelo picked up the project. No one allowed Michelangelo to work on the project. He shields it from all onlookers and distractions while working on the statue.

The Prisoners (sometimes known as the slaves)

The next four “unfinished” sculptures of Prisoners (commonly referred to as “slaves” in English), dated between 1519 and 1534, were initially commissioned to decorate the grand mausoleum designed for the Della Rovere Pope Julius II

Unfinished marble statue of Saint Matthew by Michelangelo Buonarroti. 1503 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — Unfinished marble “Statue of Saint Matthew” by Michelangelo Buonarroti. 1503

While Michaelangelo was working on these unfinished statues, the design was changed, and they sat unused until Michaelangelo’s death.

Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — Unfinished marble statue called “The Bearded Slave.” by Michelangelo Buonarroti 1530

Unfinished marble statue called The Prisoner, (also known as the Atlas) Michelangelo Buonarroti 1525 - 1530 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — An unfinished marble statue called The Prisoner (also known as the Atlas) Michelangelo Buonarroti 1525 – 1530

Unfinished marble statue called "The Awakening Slave" Michelangelo Buonarroti 1530 Marble Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — Unfinished marble statue called “The Awakening Slave” Michelangelo Buonarroti 1530 Marble.

Unfinished marble statue called "Palestrina Pietà" by Michelangelo Buonarroti 1550 - 1560 Marble Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — Unfinished marble statue called “Palestrina Pietà” by Michelangelo Buonarroti 1550 – 1560 Marble

Michelangelo's Pietà inside Saint Peter's Basilica. — Michelangelo’s Pietà inside Saint Peter’s Basilica. I included this so you could compare this statue to the unfinished statue.

We visited Saint Peter’s Basilica in April while we were in Rome. It was amazing. If you missed the story, here is a link. Everything about Saint Peter’s Basilica is amazing.

Complicated Renaissance Sculptures

The next sculpture by Giambologna has lots of action and detail. If anything, this might be the mark of a Renaissance Sculpture compared to Greek and Roman sculptures.

"Rape of the Sabines" now called "the abduction of the Sabines" by Giambologna in 1582 Shaped terracruda (crude earth) Photo from FoxRVTravel article"Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — “Rape of the Sabines,” now called “the abduction of the Sabines,” by Giambologna in 1582, Shaped terracruda (crude earth or crude dirt). I don’t know what crude earth is called in English)

Sculptures in plaster

When I toured the Gallery of the Academy, I thought all these sculptures were made of marble. This shows you what I know (or don’t know) about Renaissance Sculptures.

"La Donati" by Lorenzo Bartolini 1850 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — “La Donati” by Lorenzo Bartolini 1850

"Vow of Innocence" by Lorenzo Bartolini Plaster cast, after 1848 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — “Vow of Innocence” by Lorenzo Bartolini Plaster, cast (after 1848)

Plaster statue of Juno, by Lorenzo Bartolini considered unfinished. Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — The plaster statue of Juno, by Lorenzo Bartolini, is considered unfinished. Juno was not a Greek god but rather a Roman goddess. In Roman mythology, she is generally equated with the Greek goddess Hera, the queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage, women, and childbirth. Juno was also the wife and sister of Jupiter, the king of the gods

"Nymph with the Snake" Lorenzo Bartolini Model in plaster, 1836 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — “Nymph with the Snake” Lorenzo Bartolini Model in Plaster, 1836. Sculptures of young women with dangerous animals were a common theme. I guess there was another one by Lorenzo Bartolini, with a woman with a scorpion, at the Gallery, but I missed it.

"Venus Lying Down" by Lorenzo Bartolini Model in plaster, 1821-1822 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — “Venus Lying Down” by Lorenzo Bartolini, Model in plaster, 1821-1822. Venus sculptures have been a common theme for the last 2000 years. The ones at the Gallery of the Academy are some of the best Renaissance Sculptures in the world.

"Venus" by Lorenzo Bartolini Model in plaster, 1817-1819 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — “Venus” by Lorenzo Bartolini Model in plaster, 1817-1819 Statues called Venus range from ones like this one to crude, prehistoric figurines.

"Bacchant at Rest" by Lorenzo Bartolini Model in plaster, 1823 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — “Bacchant at Rest” by Lorenzo Bartolini Model in plaster, 1823

"Nymph Arnina" by Lorenzo Bartolini Plaster cast, 1825 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — “Nymph Arnina” by Lorenzo Bartolini Plaster cast, 1825

Monument to Maria Luisa di Borbone (the former Duchess of Lucca) sculpted by Lorenzo Bartolini c. 1830 Photo from FoxRVTravel article "Masterpiece Renaissance Sculpture at the Gallery of the Academy" — Monument to Maria Luisa di Borbone (the former Duchess of Lucca) sculpted by Lorenzo Bartolini c. 1830

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