Summer Sorensen / For The Reflector
A full-scale pure silver reproduction of Michelangelo’s David — certified by Guinness World Records as both the largest and heaviest silver sculpture in existence — was unveiled last week at Museo Michelangelo in Battle Ground village.
Adding significance to the event was the presence of a Guinness World Record adjudicator, who bestowed the two awards on the statue before the watching crowd.
The statue’s dimensions match the original marble statue exactly: 16.6 feet high, approximately 5.6 feet wide and 4.3 feet deep. Its weight is 44,000 troy ounces of .999 pure silver — more than 3,000 pounds.
How such an artifact came to Battle Ground is a story unto itself.
Treasure Investments Corporation, whose Michelangelo collection is located at Museo Michelangelo, secured the license for the use of the papal-issued molds taken from the original David statue in Florence, Italy, to create this unique rebirth.
Preserving a masterpiece presents an opportunity
The molds were commissioned by the Pope in 1928. Mark Russo, CEO of Treasure Investments Corporation, said the Vatican was concerned that if the original marble David were ever destroyed, whether by war, disaster or accident, it would be gone forever. Marble shatters. So the molds were created as a form of preservation insurance.
“Pulling a negative from a positive was the only way to protect the integrity of the work if the unthinkable happened,” said Russo.
The Marinelli family of Italy created the molds and has held and protected them for three generations.
Treasure Investments discovered the molds existed and obtained a license from the family to use them for this casting. A century later, they became the means by which the David was reborn in an entirely new material.
Fernando Marinelli, the grandson of the molding’s creator, flew from Florence, Italy for the unveiling of the statue.
The creation of the silver David
Just as Michelangelo’s original marble masterpiece took four years to complete, the silver David also took four years.
Russo describes the piece as a “posthumous original” — making it, in his words, “one of one.”
The unveiling reception and a surprise innovation
An invite-only crowd gathered on the evening of June 11 to see David unveiled. Guests mingled in anticipation while an orchestra played.
An unexpected twist was presented: attendees were treated to an AI-video presentation with the likeness of Michelangelo himself, talking about the process he used to create the original David.
Russo explained this as a transformative innovation for the art world in regard to interaction with David and future pieces. Viewers of the statue will be able to interact with the AI version of Michelangelo, which is trained on all known accurate information about him.
More than simply reading a placard, visitors can interact with the AI recreation of the artist himself — something Russo described as “the revival of the Renaissance.”
After remarks from Russo, various Treasure staff, the Guinness World Record adjudicator and Fernando Marinelli, the big moment arrived.
As the veil was removed from the nearly 17-foot tall statue, the crowd responded with gasps and applause.
What’s next for the statue
After a brief stay at Museo Michelangelo, the statue will be exhibited at other locations throughout the world and will ultimately end up with the collector who purchases it.
The statue is not available for public viewing, but those interested in learning more can visit foundrymichelangelo.com or silverdavid.com or contact Treasure Investments directly at 360-954-5453 or Info@treasure.investments.