Fight Over Michelangelo's David Raises Questions About Freedom of Expression
Voice of America
A detail of Michelangelo's 16th century statue of David is seen on display at the Accademia gallery, in Florence, central Italy, March 18, 2024. A vendor sells souvenirs of Michelangelo's 16th century statue of David at a kiosk in downtown Florence, Italy, March 18, 2024. A vendor sells souvenirs of of Michelangelo's 16th century statue of David at a kiosk in Florence's central Piazza della Signoria, Italy, March 18, 2024.
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished by the thousands of refrigerator magnets and other souvenirs sold around Florence focusing on the statue's genitalia,
