Five-metre, 3D-printed twin of Michelangelo’s David unveiled as stunning centrepiece of Italy’s Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion

A spectacular 3D replica of Michelangelo’s world-famous David sculpture has been installed at the centre of the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai – a cultural highlight of the next World Expo and an exciting addition to the UAE’s vibrant and thriving artistic scene. The unveiling follows months of painstaking work by artists and innovators, which included 40 hours of digital scanning of the original 16th-century marble artwork in Florence; the creation of a three-dimensional digital model with a resolution of 146 thousandths of a millimetre; production by one of the world’s largest 3D printers; and hours of finishing touches by hand.

The unveiling was attended by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Co-existence, Reem Al Hashimi, UAE Minister of State for International Co-operation and Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and Noura Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of Culture and Youth.

Luigi Di Maio said: "Italy and the UAE have long enjoyed a close relationship, based on the solid foundations of shared visions and interests, including innovation and culture. As the hosts of the most recent World Expo in Milan, in 2015, Italy recognises the significance of Expo 2020 as an important opportunity for cultural exchange, knowledge sharing and the formation of new and fruitful connections. We look forward to welcoming the world to the Italy Pavilion later this year, to enjoy an unprecedented journey through our country’s extraordinary past, present and future."

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio (C) and Florence mayor Dario Nardella (2nd R) attend a ceremony held to unveil a 3D-printed copy statue of Michelangelo's David at the Italian pavilion for EXPO 2020 in Dubai.

A 3D printed digital exact twin copy made of acrylic resin covered with marble dust to replicate Michelangelo's statue, the boy warrior David, representing Italy at the upcoming Expo 2020 Dubai, is pictured during its transportation at a workshop where the marble dust is applied, in Florence.

Replicating the original 17ft-high, six-ton marble statue which stands in the Galleria dell’ Accademia in Florence, required a team of art historians, technicians and engineers, as well as 21st-century technology: digital scanning, lasers and one of the world’s largest 3D printers, resulting in a 14-piece same size statue weighing 400 kilos plus 150 kilos of the base.

Midway between memory and the future, the David’s twin will travel to Dubai to become the centrepiece of the Italy Pavilion at the upcoming Universal Expo. Above, a technician touches the 3D printed digital exact twin copy made of acrylic resin covered with marble dust to replicate Michelangelo’s statue.

The project, which relaunches the beauty of Italy and its heritage cities, includes the “making of” phase of the reproduction process with a view to offering to visitors and to Expo 2020 Dubai the legacy of the multitude of multidisciplinary skills involved.

The project involves a team of technical experts and researchers from the world of academia and industry, coordinated by Professor Grazia Tucci in order to network the wide range of different specialist skills.

This project, backed by the Galleria dell’Accademia, aims to showcase the advantages of using 3D printing in art.

The replica of Michelangelo’s masterpiece needs to overcome significant logistic and operational difficulties, such as the ones arising from the mere dimension of the work and the need to reproduce it in 3D.

To make a super-detailed digital re-production, instruments and methods specific to the world of industry were used through the involvement of Hexagon, which will collaborate with the group of geomatics engineers – as measurement and digitization experts are now called – from the University of Florence.

Engineers in Florence used high-tech cameras and mounted laser scanners on stairs to capture microscopic details of the 16th-century marble statue.

Italian pavillion under construction for Expo 2020 Dubai. Based on the theme ‘Beauty connects people’, the Italy Pavilion is located in Expo’s Opportunity District. From 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, it will invite visitors from across the world to discover an engaging story that touches upon the nation’s achievements in diverse fields including art, technology, engineering and sustainability.