Many of us are familiar with Michelangelo’s statue of David, an iconic symbol of Italy, and so of course, when the opportunity presented itself while visiting Florence, I made sure that I went to the Accademia Gallery where the famous statue is housed. The 5.17-metre (17.0 ft) statue, weighing more than 6-tons is magnificent and I spent a long time walking around and around the statue just admiring its beauty. The thing that struck me when I did this was that it was the first time I had actually seen the back view of David. Every image I had ever seen previously had been from the front. I was entranced with the way the sling fell down the length of David’s muscular back, the impressive gluteus maximus muscle and the hamstrings as well as the cleverly designed tree stump support. The statue came alive for me for the very first time when I was able to view it in its entirety.
How often do we only pay attention to part of a picture or story? The lesson I learnt is that it is vital to consider the whole issue to get the best perspective. Taking all the angles into account can bring a whole new dimension to your understanding.