The many meanings of Michelangelo's Statue of David - James Earle

米開朗基羅大衛像的多樣含義 - James Earle

譯者: Ariel Hueijun Li 審譯者: Adrienne Lin

When we think of classic works of art,

一提到藝術品

the most common setting we imagine them in is a museum.

我們心裡最常想像的場景就是美術館

But what we often forget is that much of this art

但我們時常忘記，藝術品的誕生

was not produced with a museum setting in mind.

並不總是以美術館為預設背景

What happens to an artwork

要是把一件作品從原來的預定情境中抽離

when it's taken out of its originally intended context?

會發生什麼事呢?

Take the example of Michelangelo's Statue of David,

拿米開朗基羅的大衛像作例子

depicting the boy hero who slew the giant philistine, Goliath,

作品呈現殺了腓力斯丁巨人 哥利亞的這位英雄男孩

armed with only his courage and his slingshot.

除了勇氣及彈弓外沒有任何武裝

When Michelangelo began carving a block of pure white marble

當米開朗基羅開始雕塑這塊純白的大理石

to communicate this famous Biblical story,

來訴說這個著名的聖經故事時

the city of Florence intended to place the finished product

佛羅倫斯市是打算將成品

atop their grand cathedral.

置於大教堂頂端的

Not only would the 17 foot tall statue

這座17呎高的雕像

be easily visible at this height,

不只能因這樣的高度顯而易見

but its placement alongside 11 other statues

它與其他11座雕像並立

of Old Testament heroes towering over onlookers

讓觀者感受舊約英雄的俯視

would have a powerful religious significance,

也能營造深刻有力的宗教氛圍

forcing the viewer to stare in awe towards the heavens.

促使觀者以敬畏的態度仰視上蒼

But by the time Michelangelo had finished the work, in 1504,

但在1504年，米開朗基羅完工時

the plans for the other statues had fallen through,

其他雕像的計畫卻都已不了了之

and the city realized that lifting such a large sculpture to the roof

人們也發現了要搬這樣一座大雕像上屋頂

would be more difficult than they had thought.

比想像中要困難得多

Furthermore, the statue was so detailed and lifelike,

況且雕像非常細緻而栩栩如生

down to the bulging veins in David's arm

小至手臂上浮起的筋脈

and the determination on his face,

及臉上的堅毅神情都清淅可見

that it seemed a shame to hide it so far from the viewer.

若將雕像束之高閣未免可惜

A council of politicians and artists

一個由政治人物及藝術家組成的委員會

convened to decide on a new location for the statue.

開會討論置放雕像的新地點

Ultimately voting to place it in front of the Palazzo della Signoria,

最終投票決定為領主廣場的前方

the town hall and home of the new Republican government.

也就是市政廳及新共和政府的所在

This new location transformed the statue's meaning.

這個新地點改變了雕像的意涵

The Medici family, who for generations had ruled the city

世代以銀行掌控權統治整個城市的

through their control of banking, had recently been exiled,

梅蒂奇家族才剛被驅逐

and Florence now saw itself as a free city,

所以佛羅倫斯現在自視為自由城市

threatened on all sides by wealthy and powerful rivals.

四周環繞著富有強勢的敵手

David, now the symbol of heroic resistance against overwhelming odds,

大衛這時成了英勇抵抗四面楚歌的象徵

was placed with his intense stare,

他的專注凝視現在 也帶上一股嚴肅的警示意味

now a look of stern warning, focused directly towards Rome,

直接對著羅馬

the home of Cardinal Giovanni de Medici.

也就是樞機主教喬瓦尼德梅蒂奇的住所

Though the statue itself had not been altered,

雖然雕像本身並無改變

its placement changed nearly every aspect of it

其擺置卻幾乎將它所有的面向

from a religious to a political significance.

從宗教象徵變成了政治意涵

Though a replica of David still appears at the Palazzo,

雖然領主廣場上仍放著大衛像的複製品

the original statue was moved in 1873

原作真品卻已在1873年

to the Galleria dell'Accademia, where it remains today.

被移到了現在存放的學院美術館

In the orderly, quiet environment of the museum,

在美術館井然有序、悄然無聲的環境裡

alongside numerous half-finished Michelangelo sculptures,

伴著其他米開朗基羅的半成雕塑品

overt religious and political interpretations fall away,

公認的宗教及政治意義都不復存在

giving way to detached contemplation of Michelangelo's

取而代之的是對於米開朗基羅的

artistic and technical skill.

美術及工藝技巧的理性思索

But even here, the astute viewer may notice

但即便在此 敏銳的觀賞人也可能會注意到

that David's head and hand appear disproportionately large,

大衛的頭與手在比例上顯然過大

a reminder that they were made to be viewed from below.

這是大衛原來被塑為供人仰望的痕跡

So, not only does context change the meaning

因此，不僅外在情境會改變一件藝術品

and interpretation of an artwork throughout its history,

在歷史上的意義及詮釋角度

sometimes it can make that history resurface

有時作品也會以最意想不到的方式

讓歷史再次浮現

in the most unexpected ways.