Anniversary Post: David Begins

Michelangelo's David

On this day in 1501, Michelangelo started carving very possibly his greatest work, David. The work has a special meaning to me. When I was 17 years old, I found myself in Florence and I saw it — that actual sculpture, not a replica. I had seen pictures of it before. But I was not prepared for it. It was probably the first time I had a truly transcendent experience with art — something almost mystical. I found myself unable to leave. It’s was like being psychically fed as I saw more and more of the work. I’ve had the experience a number of times since.

I fully admit that this has something to do with my extreme introversion. I’m not that clued into the outside world, so it really does take me a long time to begin to see things. But I only go through this process with things that strike me on a very deep level. And the first time I had that experience was with Michelangelo’s David.

There really is nothing more to add. I’m not that great with visual art as it is. It’s more that I know what I like and I’m really open to new things — even when they’re really old. But I don’t much understand why. Why am I so taken with Bernard Frouchtben? I don’t know. To some extent, I don’t want to know. To some extent, I don’t think anyone really knows. It’s just that some people have a vocabulary to talk about it. But ultimate it works or it doesn’t; it is transcendent or it isn’t; it affects me or it doesn’t. David does all of this and more for me.

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