Michelangelo’s David sculpture abused by merchants of death

This video is called Michelangelo‘s David (BBC).

From the BBC:

8 March 2014 Last updated at 20:14 GMT

Italy up in arms over Michelangelo‘s David rifle advert

Italy’s culture minister has expressed outrage over an advertisement by a US weapons firm showing Michelangelo’s David holding a rifle.

Dario Franceschini said the image was offensive and violated the law.

A number of Italian media web sites carried the image of the advertisement showing David holding a bolt-action rifle.

The advertisement, from Illinois-based ArmaLite, carries the line “a work of art” in promoting the $3,000 rifle.

This punk rock music video from Britain is called GANG OF FOUR – ‘ARMALITE RIFLE‘.

The lyrics are here. They are about the role of Armalite rifles in killing people in Northern Ireland.

The BBC article continues:

Mr Franceschini urged the company to withdraw the advertisement for the AR-50A1.

He said in a tweet: “The image of David, armed, offends and infringes the law. We will take action against the American company so that it immediately withdraws its campaign.”

Historical Heritage and Fine Arts Board curator Cristina Acidini has issued a legal notice to ArmaLite to withdraw the image, saying it distorts the artwork.

The government says it has copyright on the commercial use of images of David.

Angelo Tartuferi, director of Florence’s Accademia Gallery, where the statue is on display, told Repubblica newspaper: “The law says that the aesthetic value of the work cannot be distorted.

“In this case, not only is the choice in bad taste but also completely illegal.”

The marble statue of the Biblical hero was created by Michelangelo between 1501 and 1504 and is considered a masterpiece of the Renaissance.