Michelangelo's fascination with the human boy was a lifelong pursuit. In his sculpture of David, 1501-1504 he presented a perfect body with an attuned mind, prepared and ready for action. Which of the following descriptions of this work would support this statement?

Question

Michelangelo's fascination with the human boy was a lifelong pursuit.  In his sculpture of David, 1501-1504 he presented a perfect body with an attuned mind, prepared and ready for action.  Which of the following descriptions of this work would support this statement?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question presents a statement about Michelangelo's David (1501–1504) and asks which description would support the idea of a perfect body with an attuned mind, prepared and ready for action.
Option 1: 'It is a combination of athletic tension and psychological insight.' This option aligns well with the statue's stance and expression: David is captured in a moment of poised energy, with muscular definition showing athletic tension, while his gaze and the contrapposto posture convey psychological focus and readiness for action. This pairing directly supports the claim of both physical perfection and an attuned mental state.
Option 2: 'It is a combination of Hellenistic excess and restrained emotion.' While the work is influenced by classical ideals and the Renaissance admiration for antiquity, the phrase 'Hellenistic excess' implies dramatic, outward intensity and variability that seems overly exuberant for Michelangelo’s restrained, balanced composition. Additionally, 'restrained emotion' is not the best fit here, since the statue communicates a confident, almost serene readiness rather than emotional outbursts; the overall mood reads more as controlled poise than excess.
Option 3: 'It is a combination of Greek perfection and psychological insight.' This option highlights 'Greek perfection,' referencing idealized proportion and ideal beauty, which is valid. However, it omits the crucial element of dynamic tension and the sculpted physical strain that signal action readiness. While psychological insight is accurate, the pairing feels slightly incomplete without acknowledging the tension in the musculature and stance that communicates imminent motion.
Option 4: 'It is a combination of athletic tension and emotional excess.' Here, 'athletic tension' is correct in describing the muscles and contrapposto readiness. Yet 'emotional excess' suggests intense, dramatic emotion, which conflicts with the statue's generally composed, focused expression. The artwork embodies calm concentration rather than excess emotion, so this pairing introduces a misleading emotional reading.
In summary, option 1 uniquely captures both the physical intensity of the figure and the psychological readiness implied by its pose and expression, while the other options either overstate dramatic emotion, mischaracterize the mood, or incompletely describe the blend of athletic form with inner focus.

Art History Renaissance-Modern Midterm 1

Michelangelo's fascination with the human boy was a lifelong pursuit. In his sculpture of David, 1501-1504 he presented a perfect body with an attuned mind, prepared and ready for action. Which of the following descriptions of this work would support this statement?

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