David at Bargello was sculpted by which Italian artist?

• A. Andrea del Verrocchio
• B. Michelangelo
• C. Leonardo da Vinci
• D. Donatello

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is recognizing the artist behind a famous Florentine sculpture by its place, material, and style. The David at Bargello is a bronze work by Donatello, created in the 1440s. It marks a turning point in sculpture, embracing a naturalistic, classical approach and a relaxed contrapposto that makes the figure feel lifelike and poised rather than stiff. Donatello’s David stands as one of the first large-scale nude statues since antiquity, finished in bronze and placed in a public Florentine context, which are distinctive clues pointing to his hand. This contrasts with later, more monumental works like Michelangelo’s marble David, which appears in a different setting and embodies a different, higher-Renaissance monumental style. So, the combination of bronze medium, early Renaissance naturalism, and the Bargello location identifies Donatello as the sculptor.