Commissioned by the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore in 1408, this marble David represents Donatello's first work. It was probably never positioned on a counterfort of the tribune of the Duomo together with the Isaiah by Nanni di Banco as was originally intended. In 1416, it was purchased for Palazzo della Signoria, where it was exhibited in the Sala dell'Orologio as a civic symbol of Florentine freedom. In order to enhance the figure with the appearance of a victorious warrior, several changes were made to highlight the sling via which, as the Bible tells us, the young man defeated the giant Goliath.
The elegant drapery and the inclination of the bust are still typically Gothic, while the head of this biblical hero is reminiscent of ancient sculpture. 

This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.