My girlfriend of 7 years is originally from Italy and we vacation there often. I have been to the Accadamia in Florence and seen David as well as some other great works. I have also seen two of the replicas, both although true to form, didn't have the same "wow factor" as the original.
This site explains Davids proportions better than I could.
"The proportions are not quite true to the human form; the head and upper body are somewhat larger than the proportions of the lower body. While some have suggested that this is of the mannerist style, the most commonly accepted explanation is that the statue was originally intended to be placed on a church facade or high pedestal, and that the proportions would appear correct when the statue was viewed from some distance below."
Created with the viewers eye in mind, incredible! Not bad for a 90 year old, huh? You can see some other views
here.
Trust me when I tell you that there are no hidden flaws behind him, everything is near perfection from all sides, the statue itself is set up so you can walk around it and view all angles.
Amazing facts about how Michaelangelo viewed the art of his time,
"He was, however, eventually apprenticed in 1488 for a three-year term to Domenico Ghirlandaio. Later in life Michelangelo tried to suppress this apprenticeship, implying that he was largely self-taught, undoubtedly because he did not want to present himself as a product of the workshop system which carried with it the stigma of painting and sculpture being taught as crafts rather than Liberal Arts." Something that could be said about bonsai today?
You can read more about this artist
here.
Close up of David's face.
Lastly
a close up of David, most people would never notice the proportions of the head and shoulders.
Will