On Sept. 8, 1504, Michelangelo's towering marble statue of David was unveiled to the public in Florence, Italy.

Explore Florence Through Michelangelo's Eye Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni — or, for the sake of ease, Michelangelo — was born and raised on the smooth paved streets of Florence.

Rather than choosing to depict David’s victory against Goliath, Michelangelo opts for more of an unorthodox moment: David in an uncertain state. “David totally changes the conception of sculpture.