Standing just as tall but weighing 10 times less, an exact replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David created using 3D printers is covered with marble dust in a workshop in Florence.
Italy has commissioned the copy of the Renaissance masterpiece, which lives in the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, to represent the country at the Dubai Expo 2021 starting in October.
It was made by a team of technicians at Hexagon Italia, under the curatorship of the University of Florence, who produced a high-definition physical copy finished off by master restorers. There were major challenges, not least that the statue is huge, standing at 5.2 meters tall (17 feet).
It is also one of the world’s most famous sculptures, requiring close attention to detail. But unlike previous cases, the process has the benefit of being carried out without any risk of damage.
“We digitized the statue with optical instruments without ever touching it,” Levio Valetti, head of marketing at Hexagon Italia, said.
