The artwork, titled “Young Slave,” was created by the renowned High Renaissance artist Michelangelo between the years 1520 and 1523. This sculpture, which is part of the “Design for Julius II Tomb” series, is presently housed in the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze in Florence, Italy.
The artwork exhibits a young male figure emerging partially from a block of marble. The figure’s upper body appears contorted and strained, suggesting a struggle to free itself from the encasing stone. This unfinished sculpture features smooth, defined musculature juxtaposed with the rough, uncarved portions of the marble, exemplifying Michelangelo’s masterful ability to infuse vitality and tension into stone. The artwork’s raw and dynamic form captures a profound sense of motion and potential, characterizing the artist’s vision and commitment to expressive realism during the High Renaissance period.
