Florence Museum Invites Florida Charter School to Visit After Complaints Over Michelangelo’s “David”

(MENAFN) The Florence museum that houses Michelangelo’s Renaissance masterpiece the “David” has invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue led to the resignation of the school’s principal.

Florence Mayor Dario Nardella also tweeted an invitation for the principal to visit so he can personally honor her. Nardella called the idea of confusing art with pornography “ridiculous.”

The controversy highlights how the U.S. culture wars are often perceived in Europe, where even the naked masterpieces of the Renaissance are generally free of controversy.

The board of the Tallahassee Classical School pressured Principal Hope Carrasquilla to resign last week after an image of the “David” was shown to a sixth-grade art class. The school has a policy requiring parents to be notified in advance about “controversial” topics being taught.

Carrasquilla believes the board targeted her after three parents complained about a lesson including a photo of the “David,” a 5-meter tall (17 foot) nude marble sculpture dating from 1504. The work, considered a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, depicts the Biblical David going to fight Goliath armed only with his faith in God.

The invitation from the Florence museum and mayor highlights the importance of cultural exchange and understanding in a globalized world. It also raises questions about the limits of censorship and the role of art in education.

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