Located in Florence, Italy, Michelangelo's David (sculpted from 1501 to 1504) is not just one of Michelangelo's two greatest sculptures (along with the Pietã), but perhaps the most recognizable stone sculpture in the history of art. Over the centuries, it has become regarded as a symbol both of strength and youthful human beauty. The 5.17 meter (17 ft) marble statue portrays the Biblical King David at the moment when he decides to battle Goliath. It came to symbolize the defense of civic liberties embodied in the Florentine Republic, which was an independent city state threatened on all sides by more powerful rival states. This interpretation was also encouraged by the original setting of the sculpture outside the Palazzo della Signoria, where the Florentine seat of civic government was located. What survives now in the Palazzo della Signoria is the replica of David depicted here in this photo. Back in 1999 when I went to see the original, they let everybody take pictures as they pleased. When I returned to Florence in 2006 to get my fill, a museum guard came rushing at me waving arms and screaming that photography was NOT allowed. Obviously the rules had changed (without any forewarning on the museum's Website), which I was not happy about, because what I had looked forward to most about visiting Florence again was the chance to photograph the original. Instead, I had to content myself with the replica. Oh well.