David? No, Not the Original

The original is perfection. This one? Not so much.
(Click picture for larger view)

"The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection. In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it. I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." ~ Michelangelo

"Freedom lies in being bold." ~ Robert Frost

This is a replica of Michelangelo's famous sculpture, David, done on a smaller scale. It stands in the Piazzale Michelangelo, on the hilltop with a fabulous view overlooking Florence and the Arno River. The original version is housed at the Academie Museum in Florence. Michelangelo was a bold sculptor, the delineation of individual muscle groups and the visible veins in relief on David's arms and coursing down the back of the leg. One would almost suspect that deep in the center of that heavy marble statue sits a heart, unseen by onlookers, but carved to perfection by the master with chambers and valves and coronary arteries in perfect position. I would expect nothing less of Michelangelo.

This replica is "audacious" for many reasons. First, replicas never match the perfection or the massive size of the original. The addition of additional figures seems almost superfluous and the soccer jerseys and flags being sold by near-by vendors detract from the space. The original David? It left me speechless.

Submission for Moody Monday topic "audacious". (end of post)