Michelangelo Sculpture Stumps the Experts

Michelangelo Sculpture Stumps the Experts

<h1>Michelangelo Sculpture Stumps the Experts</h1><img src="http://www.voanews.com/App_Themes/VOA_en-US/img/colorLogo.gif"/>Michelangelo is known worldwide as the great Italian Renaissance sculptor. &nbsp;Now, one of his more intriguing works is on loan to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, which has no other Michelangelo in its collection. &nbsp; <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> The white marble sculpture is graceful with curves. &nbsp;One knee is bent and the torso is twisted into what the Italians call &ldquo;serpentinata&rdquo; or Serpentine. &nbsp;Michelangelo&rsquo;s mastery of sculpture makes the pose looks natural, fluid and easy. &nbsp;But that is not the case when gallery visitors try to mimic it. &nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> Like many Michelangelos the sculpture appears unfinished. &nbsp;Andrew Cary was mesmerized by the chisel marks.</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> &ldquo;I am struck by the contrast between the harsh surface of the stone and the fleshy parts of the sculpture that just look soft somehow, even though it is stone,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> Mary Beth Vaughn stared at its natural grace. &ldquo;I think he is beautiful,&quot; she said.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> But no one knows who &quot;he&quot; really is. &nbsp;The clue is in the rear, in a rough chiseled rectangular form on the subject&rsquo;s back. &nbsp;Was it to be the sling that David used to kill Goliath? &nbsp;Or a quiver of arrows for the sun god Apollo? &nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> Darcey Kuhn just returned from a two-week vacation in Italy.</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> &ldquo;I think it Is more like David, in my opinion, having seen a lot of Apollos. &nbsp;It was not just Michelangelo Apollos,&quot; she said.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> David-Apollo has visited the United States before. &nbsp;Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero explains the statue was at the National Gallery of Art in 1949 during the inauguration of President Harry S. Truman. &nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> &quot;It was meant to thank the United States for the great support during the war, but also after the war, in the rebuilding of Italy after the destruction of that time,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi marked the David-Apollo&rsquo;s return to Washington, and with it the start of the Year of Italian Culture in the United States.</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> &quot;In 1949, almost 800,000 visitors enjoyed Michelangelo&#39;s unforgettable marble masterpiece. &nbsp;I know that, over the next few months, we will certainly reach that number,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> The David-Apollo stands in a round room by itself. &nbsp;Gallery visitors circle the sculpture, inspecting it from all sides, appreciating Michelangelo&#39;s skill. &nbsp;But how many know his last name?</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> She is right. &nbsp;Michelangelo Buonarroti created the David-Apollo. &nbsp;It stays in Washington, DC, until March.&nbsp;</div><link rel="canonical" href="http://www.voanews.com/content/michelangelo-sculpture-stumps-experts/1568329.html"/><meta name="syndication-source" content="http://www.voanews.com/content/michelangelo-sculpture-stumps-experts/1568329.html"/><img src="http://livetracker.voanews.eu/counter.lt?PageType=256&RecordId=1568329&SiteId=415&r=825592662&it=0&pd=20121219231438&url=ArticleID1568329" alt="" style="border:none;" height="1" width="1">

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