Fallen David

Fallen David

1987

This sculpture is a replica of Michealangelo’s David toppled during the October 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake. It is located North of the Education Classroom building. It was donated by Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

This replica of Michelangelo’s David originally was installed at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks in Cypress, California, and toppled during the October 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake. The ten-ton sculpture suffered irreparable damage and the remaining fragments were installed on campus in the approximate configuration in which they fell. As a fallen monument, it serves as a reminder of the countless broken monuments that have survived through history. Similar fragments of classical sculpture, unearthed in Italy and displayed in the garden of Lorenzo de Medici, were a source of inspiration to Michelangelo. This replica is made of the same type of Italian Carrera marble as Michelangelo’s original, contributing to the sensuality of the sculpture despite its fallen state.