Michelangelo’s statue of the David has been described as the greatest expression of sculpture of all time. Standing 17’1’’ in height and weighing just over 5 tons, the sheer scale of the statue is breathtaking. Yet, there is much more to this sculpture than just its size. His near anatomical perfection, his civic value as a symbol of the great Florentine Republic, as well as the dramatic narrative tension that Michelangelo imbues in the statue all contribute to its extraordinary quality.