500th ANNIVERSARY OF MICHELANGELOS DAVID

David was displayed on September 8, 1504, beside the main doorway of the Piazza della Signoria in Florence. In 1504, Michelangelos David was carved from a single block of white Carerra marble mined from a Tuscan quarry, the same quarry The Marble Fruit Company uses today to supply the marble for their extraordinarily lifelike marble fruit.

(PRWEB) September 9, 2004 -- Imagine holding a piece of Italian art crafted from the same raw material Michelangelo used to create the David -- five hundred years ago.

David was displayed on September 8, 1504, beside the main doorway of the Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Michelangelos David was carved from a single block of white Carerra marble mined from a Tuscan quarry, the same quarry The Marble Fruit Company uses today to supply the marble for their extraordinarily lifelike marble fruit.

David is internationally acclaimed as a watershed in Renaissance art and established Michelangelo as the foremost sculptor of his time. His traditions are carried on by Italian artisans from the renowned Rovai family in Tuscany, who hand-craft marble fruit exclusively imported for sale at www.marblefruit.com.

We were captivated by the marble fruit tradition of the Rovai family," said Jessica Parise, company co-owner. We realized that to touch a piece of marble fruit was to reach across centuries of art and design to experience a breathtaking example of Italian sculpture in the same traditions of Michelangelo."

For centuries, artisans have crafted marble fruit from remnant pieces of marble statuary. The discarded pieces were perfect for a variety of fruit from cherries to bananas to mangos. Today, five Italian artisans individually sculpt, paint and use a sand-process to add texture to each piece. Not one piece looks the same as the next, just like real fruit.

It is amazing to believe the artisans use the same marble Michelangelo wrested from the earth and shaped into his masterpieces," said Samantha Martin, company co-owner. A piece of our marble fruit captures the cool density and rich attention to detail that has enthralled Davids visitors for five centuries."

In 1873, David was moved to its present location in the Galleria dell'Accademia.

About The Marble Fruit Company
The Marble Fruit Company (www.marblefruit.com), exclusive importer of museum-quality hand-crafted marble fruit, was created in 2002. There are over 20 different types of marble fruit ($20 to $45 per piece), used for unique home décor accessories, great gifts or affordable pieces of art that capture the essence of Michelangelos Italy.
###