Albania 100 Leke, 2001. 500 Anniv. MICHELANGELO'S Statue of David. Silver UNC

Denomination: 100 Lekë
Metal: 925/1000 Silver
Weight: 15.70 gr
Diameter: 32.65 mm
Mintage: 3000 pcs

The Statue of David

It is made of marble; its weight is 9 tons, and its highest point is 4.34 m (or 14.24 feet). This sculpture was made by Michelangelo, a great sculptor, architect and poet of the Italian Renaissance. Michelangelo produced this sculpture during 1501 - 1504, when the Republic of Florence was proclaimed in Italy.

Michelangelo chose to represent David as an athlete, manly character, very concentrated and ready to fight. The extreme tension is evident in his worried look and in his right hand, holding a sling (a stone that is thrown powerfully at a distance).

The character of David and what he symbolizes was perfectly in tune with Michelangelo's patriotic feelings. At the time, when Florence was going through a difficult period, Michelangelo used David, the II Israel king, and at the same time a mythical Biblical figure, as a model of heroic courage, in the hope that the Florentines would understand his message. This young Biblical hero demonstrated that inner spiritual strength can prove to be more effective than arms. The sling that David holds in his hand is the only composition element which enables us to identify his mythical figure. The meaning of David becomes fully clear if we take into consideration the historical circumstances of its creation.

Michelangelo was devoted to the Republic, and wanted each citizen to become aware of his responsibilities and commit himself to accomplishing his duties.

Michelangelo wrote in his diary: "When I returned to Florence, I found myself famous. The City Council asked me to carve a colossal David from a nineteen-foot block of marble - and damaged to boot! I locked myself away in a workshop behind the cathedral; hammered and chiselled at the towering block for three long years. In spite of the opposition of a committee of fellow artists, I insisted that the figure should stand before the "Palazzo Vecchio" as a symbol of our Republic. I had my way. Archways were torn down, narrow streets widened…it took forty men five days to move it. Once in place, all Florence was astounded. A civic hero, he was a warning…whoever governed Florence should govern justly and defend it bravely. Eyes watchful…the neck of a bull…hands of a killer…the body, e reservoir of energy. He stands poised to strike".

With this statue Michelangelo proved to his contemporaries that he not only surpassed all modern artists, but also the Greeks and Romans, by infusing formal beauty with powerful expressiveness and meaning.

The drawings of the three coins were made by the painter Namik Prizreni.

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Shipping and handling combined fees:

0- 20 gr =2.99$

21 – 50 gr = 3.99$

51 – 100 gr = 6.99$

101 – 250 gr = 9.99$

251 – 500 gr = 13.99$

501- 1000 gr = 19.99$

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