As a milestone in history, some historians date the beginning of the renaissance to this statue of David, created by Donatello (Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi ) around 1440. This bronze statue was the first to display the full human body naked in about a thousand years. Moreover, this sculpture was intended from the beginning to be free standing and not to be placed into a niche as was the custom as to place sculptures in conjunction with architecture. First placed on the Palazzo Medici in Florence, it’s now in the Bargello Museum(Florence) and its head is honoured on the Italian 1 Euro coin. - Micheal Bross contributor to Snapshots of History on Quora.com