The David and The Accademia Gallery Author:Franca Falletti The Accademia Gallery originates from the school of fine arts itself which is located in the former hospital of S. Matteo where Via Ricasoli runs into Piazza San Marco, Florence. in 1784, Pietro Leopoldo, grand duke of Tuscany founded a collection of artworks that was to provide both models and inspiration to students. — In the beginning the gall... more »ery contained only Florentine paintings from the early XIV to the late XVI centuries. Subsequently, the greater part of the collection was acquired following the suppression of religious institutions under the Lorraines, then again under Napoleon, and finally when Italy was united [1861].
Michelangelo's David was moved to the Accademia from its original place in Piazza della Signoria in 1873. Within a few years a museum of Michelangelo's works was created, exhibiting casts of statues from other collections alongside original sculptures such as The Prisoners of St. Matthew.
The physical transformation of the museum continued during the 20th century and was accentuated between 1960 and 1980 when the David's fame began to overshadow not only the great paintings in the gallery, but Michelangelo's other works as well.
Today the Accademia Gallery is among the most popular museums in Italy, and its collection of Michelangelo's sculptures is, without doubt, unequalled by any other museum in the world.« less