The Italian museum that houses Michelangelo’s “David” dismissed the concerns of parents and students from a Florida school who say the masterpiece is pornographic — and invited them to come to check out its “purity” up close themselves.
Cecilie Hollberg, the director of the Galleria dell’Accademia where the sculpture is housed in Florence, was shocked that the marble statue caused an uproar among parents in a sixth-grade class at charter school Tallahassee Classical School that led to the outster of its principal.
“To think that David could be pornographic means truly not understanding the contents of the Bible, not understanding Western culture and not understanding Renaissance art,” Hollberg said over the phone.
The work, finished in 1504 by famed artist Michelangelo, depicts the Biblical David going to fight the Goliath armed with only his faith in God.
Hollberg said the principal, school board, parents and students are welcome to view the “purity” of the artwork.
“It is incredibly sought-after by Americans who want to do selfies and enjoy the beauty of this statue,” Hollberg said, noting that they would be part of the roughly 1.7 million visitors to the museum yearly.
The marble statue came under fire when three parents of sixth graders at charter school Tallahassee Classical School complained about the lesson, including one parent calling it pornographic.
Following the uproar, ex-principal Hope Carrasquilla said she was forced to resign by the school board.
The two other parents complained they were not notified before the lesson took place, which is required by the school.
Carrasquilla conceded to the Tallahassee Democrat the notification did not go out due to an administrative breakdown.
The chair of the school board, Barney Bishop has said there were other issues – though he did not elaborate – on top of the art lesson that led to Carrasquilla’s unceremonious departure and a notification should have alerted parents to the lesson.
“We aren’t trying to ban the picture,” he told CNN in reference to the statue of David, adding. “We think it’s beautiful, but we are going to make sure the concept of parental rights is supreme in Florida and at our charter school.”
Carrasquilla also admitted to CNN, “My board chair has not been happy with me.”
Florence Mayor Dario Nardello invited Carrasquilla to “honor” her on behalf of the city. He called it “just ridiculous” to confuse the artwork for pornography.
Additionally, on Sunday’s front page of an Italian daily publication, Corriere della Sera, a cartoon drawn by its top satirist depicted David with his genitals covered by an Uncle Sam and the word “Shame.”
Carrasquilla said Sunday she was “very honored” by the invitations and was considering making the trip.
“I am totally, like, wow,” Carrasquilla said. “I’ve been to Florence before and have seen the David up close and in person, but I would love to go and be a guest of the mayor.”
While the museum is free to student groups there was no indication any trip would be paid for by the city or museum.
With Post wires
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