David, by Michelangelo
The most important masterpiece in the Galleria dell'Accademia is Michelangelo's statue of David, possibly the world's most famous statue. The statue, 5m 17cm tall (about 17ft), was commissioned by the Florentine republic, who saw the biblical hero slaying the giant Goliath as a symbol for the creation of the nascent republic.The statue was installed in front of the Palazzo Vecchio but in 1873 it was replaced by a replica and moved to the Galleria dell'Accademia to protect it from the elements. Another replica can be found at the center of the Piazzale Michelangelo.The statue, which was created by Michelangelo in 1501-1504 from a single block of marble, was instantly admired for its proportions and attention to detail. Michelangelo chose to depict David as an adolescent instead of a young boy, as was customary. The statue brought instant fame to the twenty-nine year-old Michelangelo.