Marble-lous

The largest naked statue of David is undoubtedly the most famous piece of art in the entire Academia Galleria in Florence, if not the entire globe. However, it's equally amazing how it came to be, which highlights Michelangelo's meticulous attention to his craft.

A sizable piece of rare white marble was abandoned for 25 years in the courtyard of Florence's Opera del Duomo. Due to the complexity and size of the project, other eminent artists had given up on earlier attempts to use the material. Then Michelangelo appeared. He started carving the biblical figure in 1501, working nonstop for two years while frequently dozing off in his boots. The statue eventually stood close to 17 feet tall and weighted more than 12,000 pounds.

For the record, Michelangelo killed many giants over his Hall of Fame career, compared to David's lone giant death. Even the original conception of God, immortalized on the Sistine Chapel ceiling as an aged wise man with long white hair and a beard, appears in his highlight reel. I'm just saying.