David

The youth David, who, armed only with a catapult, vanquished the giant Goliath, was a symbol of the pride and power of the republic of Florence.He was also linked to the name of the donor: the catapult was part of the Sassetti family's coat-of-arms because their name was similar to the Italian word for throwing stones (sassata). The donor's coat-of-arms can be seen on David's shield. Catapults also flank the coat-of-arms above the chapel and are depicted in the sculptural ornamentation in the tomb niches, in the chapel.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 11 minutes): Johann Kuhnau: The Fight between David and Goliath (No. 1 of the 6 Stories from the Bible illustrated in music)