Art and Intention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Art and Intention - Essay Example Quite often we see that the leaders of a new movement such as have been misunderstood and ridiculed before a critical mass begins to appreciate the value of their work. In this context, Michelangelo’s ‘David’ (1501-04) and Marcel Duchamp’s ‘Nude Descending a Staircase’ (1912) signified movements in art form that were ahead of their time. Discussion In the context of Michelangelo’s ‘David’, it is worthwhile to remember that this masterpiece was carved from a stone block that had various defects and fissures running through it. It had been refused earlier by both Sandro Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci. The statue of David stands 5.17 meters tall and Michelangelo had to do most of the work standing up. He was 26 years at the time. Originally meant for a Florentine cathedral, the final work took over two years to complete and weighed 6 tons and so it was unveiled as a public figure in the square outside the Palazzo della Signor ia, the seat of civic governance in Florence, where it stood as a symbol of civic liberties. Its initial unveiling met with the distaste of the local public, who objected against its nudity.