Looking for the Sublime in Michelangelo’s David

The most famous statue in the world still has the power to inspire

David (1501–1504) by Michelangelo. Marble. 517 × 199 cm. Galleria dell’Accademia, Florence, Italy. Image source Wikimedia Commons

What tends to strike viewers when they first see Michelangelo’s David is its size: it stands at over 5 metres from top to bottom, so that when you’re standing beneath it, your only choice is to look upwards.