Towards 1504, a sculptor was putting the final touches to his work in Florence. Michelangelo had portrayed King David, a hero from the Bible, in a 4-metre-high statue.

This sculpture was much talked about, because it met all the criteria to make it a masterpiece of the Renaissance:

• It was a technical feat: the sculpture was created from a single marble block. Michelangelo won this battle with matter simply by reasoning.
• It was a Christian subject, but its form was antique (seen in its nudity, and the swaying hips)
• It was a political statement that, like David, the city of Florence was determined to face up to its rival cities.