Michelangelo's David Virtual Tour: The Genius of Renaissance Florence
Get inside the mind of Michelangelo and discover the fascinating story behind the world's most iconic sculpture
Michelangelo's David Virtual Tour: The Genius of Renaissance Florence
duration 1.5 hours
Tour Overview
In the world of Renaissance Florence, one man and one sculpture reign supreme. Join art historian Angelo to unravel the fascinating story of Michelangelo’s sculpture of David, and find out why the artist’s most famous sculpture would fast become an icon of the Florentine Republic. On this immersive virtual tour we’ll be tracing Michelangelo’s early life from his humble origins in the Tuscan countryside to the rarefied surroundings of the Medici court, where the amazingly precocious sculptor set out on the road to becoming one of the greatest artists the world has ever known. At the heart of our tour is the towering figure of David: discover how Michelangelo transformed a defective block of marble into living stone, and learn how David has stood silent watch as protector of the city for over 500 years. Our virtual tour is the perfect introduction to the art of the Renaissance – join Angelo today!
If the day of the week or start time of this group tour doesn't work for you, please email us at office@througheternity.com to arrange a suitable alternative date.
Tour includes:
- Live broadcast from Florence
- Immersive webinar with expert guide Angelo
- In-depth exploration of Michelangelo''s life
- Have your questions answered by Angelo
Highlights:
- Trace the fascinating career of Michelangelo
- Find out why David is the icon of Florence
- Learn about the technique of sculpture carving
- Discover why Florence was the cradle of the Renaissance
Tour Description
Meet your guide: Angelo
Hi, I’m Angelo! I have been working with Through Eternity Tours since the beginning. I have studied the classics, history, art, religion and archaeology: a solid foundation to explore the past and present with visitors to my city. The most rewarding part of my job is when non art and history buffs tell me, “we would have loved to stay longer and learn more.”
What Exactly is a Through Eternity Virtual Tour?
The world of travel might be on hold right now, but just because we're all staying at home to help the world overcome a common enemy doesn't mean we have to put our wanderlust on the back burner. Frustrated with not being able to get our travel fix, we decided to transform our award-winning tours into immersive virtual experiences, meaning you can still explore Italy’s spectacular archaeological sites and jaw-dropping museums from the comfort of your own home.
* Please note that the booking times are in US Eastern Standard Time and Rome, Italy CET is 6 hours ahead *
Fun and informative, our virtual tours take the form of online real-time presentations led by our expert guides. Combining videos, high-definition photos and more, our guides will be sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience with you on these interactive walkthroughs of Italy’s most fascinating sites. The live format of our virtual tours means you’ll be able to ask your guide anything you wish, just like on a normal tour. We really believe it's the next best thing to being here!
As a sign of our gratitude to those who are on the front line fighting the Coronavirus, we would be more than happy to invite all first responders, health workers and NHS workers to join our Virtual Tours for free. Please message our office staff directly!
Please note that the proceeds from our online tours go directly to our guides, providing them with a valuable lifeline in these tough times for the world of travel. Thank you for your support!
Take a trip back in time to the magnificent world of Renaissance Florence
In Florence, the passage of time has been stilled. The memories of the great ideas and brilliant artists that propelled this city to the forefront of the Italian Renaissance still echo through its grand streets and imposing palaces, and to the curious traveller it is like being thrust back into an exciting and tumultuous world of poets, philosophers and artists, of preachers, bankers and powerful aristocrats.
Our virtual tour of the city known as the cradle of the Renaissance will see us metaphorically traipse the very streets where these colossal figures of history once walked. First amongst them, of course, was the immortal Michelangelo Buonarotti.
Trace the fascinating life story of Michelangelo
On our tour we’ll be tracing the life of Michelangelo from his humble origins in the Tuscan countryside. Find out how Michelangelo believed his love of sculpture came from being nursed by a stone-cutters wife, and follow his journey to the glittering Medici court as a young man. In the expert virtual company of Angelo we’ll get to grips with the precocious Michelangelo’s earliest works that set him on a fast track to fame.
Discover why Michelangelo would soon become the most famous artist of the Italian Renaissance, and why contemporaries were convinced that he had been sent from heaven to express the perfection of the divine here on earth. On our virtual tour, you’ll also learn all about the cantankerous sculptor’s irascible personality, and how his thundering terribilità frightened and amazed his contemporaries in equal measure.
Discover why David would become an icon of the Florentine Republic
At the heart of our virtual Florence tour will be the museum of the Accademia, where the art of Michelangelo takes centre stage. Thanks to Angelo’s immersive narration and high-quality images you’ll be able to behold his immaculate David as if you were really there.
Find out how David has been a symbol of the city's power and achievements ever since its unveiling in Piazza della Signoria in 1504. Get into the enigmatic mind of the Biblical hero as he stares proudly beyond our gaze, apparently uninterested in the lives of mere mortals such as we.
David's haughty grandeur stands in stark contrast to the series of unfinished Slaves that form Michelangelo's other contribution to the museum, originally intended for the tomb of his greatest patron, Pope Julius II. See for yourself how the pathos forever trapped in these stone figures vainly struggling to escape their marble prisons is almost unbearable, and in their tortured forms we can begin to understand the complexities and contradictions that animated one of art's greatest geniuses.
Find out how Michelangelo carved his perfect colossus
We’ll be delving into the complex and fascinating world of marble carving on our virtual tour – Angelo will take you through the numerous and time-consuming steps of the process, from quarrying the massive stone blocks right through to the completion of the finished sculpture.
Discover how Michelangelo’s technique differed from his contemporaries, and how his amazingly unerring eye and hand allowed him to achieve effects far beyond the capabilities of other artists – did you know that the marble block out of which he carved the David was considered too damaged for use by an entire generation of sculptors before Michelangelo? Get the full story with Angelo!
Tour Reviews
5.0 (15 reviews)
Angelo did a wonderful job showing and telling us the story of Micheangelo's David and its significance in the history of Florence. I have studied David in the past but today I learned a number of new things about the statue that I had not known before. Angelo's delivery was filled with the energy and enthusiasm of a true lover of Art and History and we all enjoyed his tour very much. I hope I can connect with him when I get back to Italy (eventually).
This was my second virtual tour with Angelo and he is consistently excellent, informative, and engaging. Learn why Michelangelo's David is one for the ages. Many kudos and keep up the good work.
