Why does michelangelo's statue of david have a small penis?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tinhfoil
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His penis is not erect. Perhaps the model was a grower, not a shower.
 
The statue actually has a normal sized penis, in the flaccid state. Athletes in the nude, outdoors, usually had flaccid penis's due to exposure to the elements that often cause the penis to retract somewhat into the warmer interior of the body.
 
The Renaissance artists primarily focused on recreating the Classical ideal in their work, meaning they tried to copy the Greeks and Romans in style. In Classical Greece, the nude male form was perfect, however the penis was the least important part of the form, while muscle mass and body and facial proportion were much more influential over a man's perfection. In the Renaissance, theoretically it could have been kept small for modesty purposes, as most of the art of the period was commissioned by the church, and Michelangelo particularly worked closely (though not often by choice) with Pope Julius II. You might notice different disproportion within this statue, such as the oversized hands, which are more interesting than the small penis. Michelangelo wanted to put some of himself into this work, so he put in his large hands.
 
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